Hands down my Mom's paella recipe that we cook at the cabin over the campfire. Lots of work, but SO worth it. The saffron flavor of the rice is addicting! It's a long recipe, but thought I'd share in case anyone gets motivated :)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 onions cut into wedges
2 large or 3 small tomatoes cut into wedges
4 1/2 cups long grain or Arborio rice
9 cups of fish stock
1 1/2 T. salt
1 t. saffron threads
2 pounds of large shell on shrimp (use shells to make fish stock)
2 lbs. little neck clams
2 lbs. sea scallops
8-10 chicken thighs
1-2 lbs. fresh Italian sausage links (I use Johnsonville mild)
3 peppers but into strips (red, green, yellow)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup chopped parsley
Cooking instructions:
1. Make a fire & burn long enough to get nice coals. Use smaller pieces of wood after creating the bed of coals. Heat paella pan over fire with olive oil. Add sausage chunks, chicken thighs and onion. Stir and fry about 5-10 minutes--until browned and done on outside.
2. Add garlic & rice & stir-fry for approximately 5 min. Do not burn the rice!
3. Add stock & saffron to pan- bring to a boil. Some people add yellow food coloring to water to give rice an even yellower appearance. Keep adding small wood if necessary.
4. Distribute meat evenly and then add: scallops, clams with hinge
side down and tomatoes. Place them in pan evenly. Lightly cover
with wide and heavy aluminum foil. Keep adding small pieces of wood
so there is a low simmer, boil going. Cook about 10 minutes. Do not stir.
5. Add shrimp, peppers, peas, and parsley and cover pan more tightly. Use wide and heavy aluminum foil and a couple of hand or dish towels. Be sure edges of towels don't hang over. Cook about 5-10 minutes more. Check rice for doneness. Do not stir. Water should be absorbed and rice tender or nearly done.
6. Remove pan from fire. Place on several heat resistant layers in the center of table and leave covered for about 10 minutes