Saffron Paella Mixta

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 6 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cups short-grain rice, preferably bomba rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup frozen English peas
• 1/2 cup (about 2) roasted red peppers, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 12-16 mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Season chicken and shrimp with salt and pepper, and set aside in separate bowls.

In a saucepan, simmer the chicken broth with saffron. Heat for at least 10 minutes to infuse the broth with flavor and color.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the paella pan over medium-high heat. When it begins to smoke, add the chicken. Sear, turning occasionally, until browned on the outside, but not fully cooked through, about 5 minutes.Remove with tongs, leaving the paella pan on the heat.

Add the remaining oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, tomatoes and chorizo. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, and then add the smoked paprika. This creates a thick, flavorful sofrito that will add depth to the paella.

Add the rice to the sofrito and cook about 1 minute. Add white wine and stir.

Place the chicken back into the paella pan and ladle in 6 cups of the warm chicken broth and season with salt. (Reserve 2 cups in case more liquid is needed.) Distribute the rice evenly across the pan with a wooden spoon. At this point, do not stir the rice anymore.

Add the peas, roasted peppers and bay leaves. Place the paella pan over 2 burners set to medium heat. Let cook, without stirring, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, about 10-12 minutes. Rotate the pan a few times as the rice cooks to evenly distribute the heat.

Check the texture of the rice. If it is too al dente, add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until tender. Reduce heat to low and add shrimp. Nestle in the mussels, hinge side down. Ladle in another 1/2 cup of broth.

Cook, without stirring, until the mussels have opened and the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with aluminum foil. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve with lemon wedges.