Best Paella Ever

Paella, pronounced pay-EH-yah! is a rice dish made in a shallow, wide pan over an open fire. Paella means “frying pan” in Valencian. Traditionally, paella includes short grain rice, green beans, rabbit, chicken, and saffron, but nowadays there are a huge number of variations, from seafood to vegetarian. I made a mixta paella here, which is essentially a mixed paella that has meat, seafood, and vegetables.

In Valencia, no paella is complete without a side of paella sauce or garlic aioli. The creamy, garlicky sauce is reminiscent of mayo and goes perfectly with the smoky, flavorful rice. To make garlic aioli, place 1 cup neutral oil, 1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp dijon, 2 tsp lemon juice, and 1 clove garlic into an immersion blender cup. Use an immersion blender and blend until combined and thick. Season with salt to taste.

Ingredients:

• 30 threads saffron lightly crushed, about 1/2 tsp
• 1/4 cup neutral oil high heat such as grapeseed preferred
• 2 links Spanish chorizo sliced
• 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
• 10-12 large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 small onion minced, about 1 cup
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 3 medium tomatoes diced or grated, about 2 cups, see notes
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 6 cups chicken broth no sodium preferred
• 2.5 cups bomba rice
• 1 red or orange pepper sliced into 1" strips
• 12 clams