Everybody's cookin' for the weekend?

I posted back in September about how I like to go home from school on the weekends and cook.

Last weekend, I told my mom that I would really like some paella this weekend. She said that sounded good, and said we'd definatly eat delicious Spanish yum on Saturday. Little did I know that not only would I be eating it, but I'd also be cooking it myself. Here's a picture of the finished product:

Aborro rice, Shrimp, chicken, Chorizo, clams and spices come together in the Paella pan.

The plated product, garnished with lemon and roasted red peppers and served with a glass of Fat Bastard's Sauvignon Blanc.

Mom and I just sort of made the recipe up as we went, so here's the best I can remember:

You will need:

• A quart or so of chicken stock (pre-made will do fine)
• A pinch of saffron
• 1/2 pound or so of chopped panchetta
• 2 tspn olive oil
• 16 ounces aborro rice
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 medium sized can of diced tomatoes
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1-2 links Chorizo cut into chunks
• 1-2 lemons for garnish
• 1 large roasted red pepper; sliced
• 1-2 pounds of chicken cut into chunks (leave bones in)
• Little-neck clams
• Shrimp (frozen, peeled shrimp work best)

Put about 1-2 cups of stock in a small sauce pan. Add the saffron. Heat the remaining stock in a separate pan.

In paella pan, heat the olive oil. Fry chorizo; remove and save for later. Add the pancetta; cook until crispy. Remove the pancetta. Add the chicken to the skillet. Brown on all sides. Remove chicken and place on a baking sheet, then into a 375 degree oven.

Saute garlic and onions in the paella pan until soft and lightly browned. Add 1-1 1/2 cups white wine. Add aborro rice and allow to absorb wine. Add saffron-infused stock to aborro rice. Allow rice to absorb stock. Add plain stock to rice about 1/2-1 cup at a time until rice is soft.

Once soft, add peas and tomatoes. Add clams. Allow to heat for 4-5 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook until clams are open and shrimp turn orange. Add chicken. Garnish with lemons and sliced red peppers. Serve with white wine.