Spanish Style Paella

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 8 mild Italian sausages, roughly chopped into 1-inch rounds
• 1 pound dried sausage, roughly chopped
• 7 chicken breasts, seasoned to taste with paprika, salt and pepper on both sides,
• cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 20 peeled, iced uncooked shrimp seasoned to taste with paprika, salt and pepper
• 2 carrots, finely minced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely minced
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups arborrio rice/risotto
• 3 cups white wine
• Ham hock flavored broth, recipe follows
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Grey Salt

Directions

In a large paella pan over medium heat, add olive oil and then fresh sausage. Saute for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until sausage is well browned. Add chicken and dried sausage to pan and saute 5 to 8 minutes, or until chicken starts to brown. Add the shrimp and saute just until the shrimp begin to turn red and curl, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove all meats from paella pan, using a slotted spoon, and place them on cookie tray to cool.

In the now empty paella pan, sweat the carrots, onions, and celery for about 15 minutes. Add garlic and saute with vegetables for another 2 minutes. Add the risotto rice, stir and saute until the grains are a pearly white. Add white wine, and allow to cook down until almost completely gone. Then begin to add broth, about 2 ladles at a time, every 7 to 8 minutes unti1 35 to 40 minutes have passed, or until broth is fully incorporated into rice and vegetables and rice is tender but al dente.

Stir meat and seafood back in before serving.

Ham hock flavored broth:

• 6 ham hocks
• 2 roughly cut onions
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly cut
• 1 bulb garlic
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato puree
• 2 (32-ounce) cartons chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups water

1 pinch saffron

Preheat a large sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add ham hocks and olive oil. Allow to caramelize, both sides, for about 10 to 20 minutes. Add carrots, onions and celery, stir in thoroughly. Slice bulb of garlic in half. With wooden spoon, push mixture aside to create room at bottom of pot for caramelizing the garlic. Place each side of the garlic into pot, garlic side down. Leave to caramelize for about 10 minutes. Mix in paprika, tomato paste, tomato puree, chicken stock, bay leaves, and water. Allow to simmer for another 45 minutes.

Skim off any fat that has formed and add saffron. Allow to simmer for another 30 minutes. Strain and refrigerate to cool.

Yield: 10 to 12 cups