Paella in Quince

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 times around the pan
• 1/2 pound pre-cooked chorizo, casings removed and cut into bite-size dice
• 3/4 pound chicken breast cutlets or tenderloins, diced into bite-size pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
• 4 to 5 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (eyeball it in your palm)
• 1 envelope saffron powder or a pinch of threads
• 2 cups couscous
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges
• 2 piquillo peppers or 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
• A generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Hot sauce, to pass at table

Directions

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high to high heat - make sure to choose a pan with a tight fitting lid. Add the chorizo and render some of its fat, 1 to 2 minutes then add the chicken and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, bay, thyme and shrimp, season with salt and black pepper, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the stock and stir in the turmeric and saffron. Bring the stock to a boil, about 1 minute, then stir in the couscous, peas, lemon zest and piquillo peppers. Cover and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Remove the bay and thyme stems before serving. Top each serving of paella with some chopped parsley, hot sauce and juice from the lemon wedges.