Nuria and Xavier's Authentic Catalan Paella

prep time:: Seems like hours
total time:: All day

Serves 6-8 easily

This paella recipe has been handed down to my husband from his mother. He’s famous with my friend Pat for shouting "How do you expect me to cook and read a recipe at the same time??!!

ingredients

Make sure you have someone like my friend Pat to help with the chopping and other prep work.
EEOV (olive oil)
8-6 oz. cups of rice
6 garlic cloves
1 lb. of boneless pork, cubed
6-8 chicken legs
2 large yellow onions
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 lb. squid, sliced
1 tsp paprika
6 sprigs of parsley
1 (8oz) can tomatoes
2 cubes chicken broth
6 fibers of saffron(splurge & buy the real thing)
1/4 tsp red food coloring
1 can green peas (or frozen), or artichokes, or asparagus
2 lbs. mussels
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large lemon
1 can pimientos

directions

1
This is best done outside on a charcoal grill. Use an authentic paella pan.
2
Warm the pan on the grill; add 1 TBS EEOV and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Add the pork and chicken legs. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. When golden, add squid and salt liberally. Cook about 10 minutes. Add the onions and red peppers. Remove the garlic cloves and add 2 chopped garlic cloves and 2 TBS chopped fresh parsley. Cook until their aroma is released and then add tomatoes. Measure 3 cups of water per cup of rice. Keep some water boiling in a kettle for use. Pour some of the measured water and mussel water (see below) in the pan. Then add boiling water with 2 buillion cubes and then add the rice. Turn up the fire and cook for 15 minutes. DO NOT STIR THE RICE, but you can shake the pan a little. Add saffron, and a few drops of red food coloring. Add the green peas and/or artichokes or asparagus. The mussels, with the larger shell tip buried in the rice, will be added 5" before the rice is done. The mussels have already been cooked in the following manner: Put the mussels in a sauce pan with very little cold water and cover the pan. When it starts to boil, take the mussels out. Look to see if they have sand inside. Clean them and discard the empty shells. The water will be used to cook the rice.
3
Next add the precooked shrimp and mussels. Make sure that the rice is boiling at all times. If you cannot see bubbles, add a little more boiling water.
4
When the rice is removed from the fire, sprinkle 2 minced garlic cloves and 2-3 parsley springs mixed with a little EEOV, and place lemon slices around the perimeter of the pan. Remove pan from fire and let it sit 5" to allow the rice to absorb the excess water. Place the pan on its side; if the rice does not slide, it means that it has been cooked properly.