The Sun Also Rises Paella

Directions

1. Get your mise set up. Chop the shallots and garlic, slice the chorizo and cut into half moons or pie shaped wedges, and slice the piquillo. Trim the beans by yanking the strings if necessary, clipping the ends and then slicing them in half. Blanch them in boiling water and then quickly plunge them into an icy bath to set the color.
2. Start a fire going on your Weber or whatever grill you are using (assuming you are cooking outside). Get your stock to a steady, but slow simmer. For this I prefer to use a small Burton butane burner because the stock is right there as soon as I’m ready to use it. Otherwise have your broth on the cooktop close at hand to you paella pan.
3. Add a pinch of saffron to your simmering stock.
4. Place your pan on the grill grate or gas burner (please note that you will need a lid of some kind, closing the kettle up, or a flat lid that fits your pan, or in estrema; tin foil. This is because once the shellfish go in it all has to be covered up so that your little mollusks steam up and open (hopefully)).
5. Your grill is hot? Yeah? Spread some olive oil around, along with shallot, garlic and that beautiful chorizo. Get that sizzling a bit.You could splash in a little bit of white wine right now to deglaze. Add the chicken wings and brown those. When the wings are colored up and a bit crispy, remove them temporarily to a plate on the side.
6. Add the rice and push it all around with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add your hot broth all at once (you’re not making risotto). Maybe add some more saffron, but working quickly, arrange beans and peppers---fan them out to look pretty. Once you’ve added the stock you are not going to stir it anymore. Just keep that hot flame going underneath.
7. After about 15 minutes add your clams, prawns, scallops etc. as well as the chicken wings. If you are using snails add those now too. Cover again. Allow up to 5-7 minutes for this to finish. You will know when the clams pop open of their own accord. Discard clams that don’t open. Better safe than sorry. Now, plate it up!
8. Notes to cook: finding good chorizo might sound difficult but actually it's not. Most Spanish charcuterie is prohibited by the idiotic agencies that prohibit this stuff. However La Espanola www.donajuana.com has created a specialty of recreating regional Spanish sausages. I've been buying their products for more than 20 years. I'm willing to bet that if you dine in a Spanish restaurant in the USA the chorizo that you are eating was manufactured at their family run plant in Harbor City. Another great American success story. Other Spanish products (including paella pans) can be ordered from The Spanish Table or Tienda on-line.