PAELLA WITH CHORIZO, SHRIMP, AND BABY ARTICHOKES

Paella with Chorizo, Shrimp, and Baby Artichokes image

Yield serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

24 baby artichokes (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound large shrimp, preferably in the shell
1 pound Chorizo (page 24)
3 cups Spanish or Italian short-grain white rice
6 cups water, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Large pinch of saffron threads

Steps:

Trim off the stems from the artichokes flush with the bottom, and then pull away their outer leaves down to the inner yellow ones. Cut off the top of each artichoke down to the yellow part. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise.
In a large sauté pan, heat the 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the artichokes and garlic and sauté, turning the artichokes often, until they are almost tender but still a little crunchy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside in a warm place.
Add the shrimp, increase the heat to medium-high, and sauté until just turning pink and curling up, about 5 minutes. (Add more oil if necessary to keep them from burning.) Transfer to the plate with the artichokes.
Add the sausage and sauté, stirring from time to time to break it into large clumps, until firm, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir to mix, and sauté until it is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the 6 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook, stirring often, until the rice is al dente and the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 20 minutes. (Add more water if the dish starts to dry out before the rice is cooked.)
Stir in the saffron, then the artichokes and shrimp. Cover the pan loosely with a kitchen cloth and let stand for 10 minutes for the rice to steam dry. Serve hot.