Europe

Traditional food from Spain

Paella-typical Spanish dish and is traditionally cooked in a "paellera" (a round flat pan with two handles)which is then put on the table. It is normally made using seafood but can also be made with chicken or rabbit. Paellas are one of my favorite dish because of the mixture of flavors. The seafood paella is the best one in my opinion, because I'm a seafood fanatic.Here is my mom's special Paella recipe:

It makes 8 servings
Ingredients:

• 3  cups  water
• 1  cup  dry white wine
• 1  teaspoon  saffron threads
• 2  (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
• Herb Blend:
• 1  cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  dried tarragon
• 2  large garlic cloves, minced
• Paella:
• 1  pound  monk fish or other firm white fish fillets
• 16  unpeeled jumbo shrimp (about 1 pound)
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  cups  finely chopped onion
• 1  cup  finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1  cup  canned diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1  teaspoon  sweet paprika
• 1/2  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 3  cups  uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
• 1  cup  frozen green peas
• 16  little neck clams
• 1  (7-ounce) jar sliced pimento, drained
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

Preparation: ( takes time to prepare but it will be worth it at the end)

1. combine the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a simmer (do not boil).
3. Keep warm over low heat.
4. To prepare herb blend, combine parsley and next 4 ingredients; set aside.
5. To prepare paella, trim connective tissue from monk fish; cut into 1-inch pieces.
6. Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and shrimp; saute 1 minute (the seafood mixture will not be cooked through).
7. Remove seafood mixture from pan, and keep warm.
8. Add onion and bell pepper to pan, and saute 5 minutes.
9. Add the tomatoes, paprika, crushed red pepper, and 3 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes.
10. Add rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, herb blend, and peas.
11. Bring to a low boil, and cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
12. Add clams to pan, nestling them into rice mixture.
13. Cook 5 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells.
14. Stir in the seafood mixture, and arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture.
15. Arrange pimento slices spoke like on top of rice mixture; cook 5 minutes.
16. Sprinkle with lemon juice.(at your own taste) 
17. Remove from heat; cover with a towel and let stand 10 minutes.
18. Buen Provecho! ( good appetite) Enjoy this delicious Spanish dish!