Paella a la Valenciana

This recipe was adapted from a Spanish cookbook found at a yard sale, where most of my favorite cookbooks are found.

There are as many kinds of paella as there are paella cooks. Please feel free to make substitutions. For example, use hot turkey sausage in lieu of pork sausage.

The general idea is to cook all of the ingredients in one dish until they are done but not overdone. I happen to have a paella pan, found at the same yard sale, but a large skillet works just as well.

Saffron is very expensive, the most expensive spice in the world, so unless my sister sends me some, hint, hint, I use turmeric.

Paella a la Valenciana
4-6 servings
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1 small chicken, boiled (save 2 1/4 cups of the stock to cook rice; water must be hot)
8 pork sausages (chicken or turkey sausages maybe substituted)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 green or red peppers, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon saffron or turmeric
Salt and pepper
1 cup rice
6 canned artichoke hearts
1/2 cup peas
1/2 pound cleaned shrimp

Boil the chicken and strip the meat from the bones. Cut meat into bite-sized chunks. Save the hot water for cooking the rice.

Brown the sausages in some of the olive oil in a large frying pan and cut into bit-size chunks.

In remaining olive oil, saute the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers in the same pan.

Return the sausages to the pan and add the chicken pieces and spices.

Stir in the rice and pour in the hot water/broth.

Cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, then add artichoke hearts, peas, and shrimp.

Cook another 10 minutes, until rice is tender, and serve.