Recipe(tried): Seafood Paella at Tio Pepe Restaurante

The finest of the finest. Have had it many a times at the restaurant and have made it several times.

SEAFOOD PAELLA AT TIO PEPE RESTAURANTE

1 tablespoon olive oil
5 slices bacon, chopped
8 pieces chicken (your favorite parts)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 (7-oz) jar roasted pimentos with juice
1/2 teaspoon saffron
2 cups bottled clam juice
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound squid, cut into 1 1/2-inch rings
1 dozen clams, scrubbed
1 dozen mussels, scrubbed, debearded
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
lemon wedges (as desired)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Set aside.

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pot and cook over medium heat until brown, about 7 minutes per side. Using tongs, remove chicken from pot.

Add chopped onions and garlic to pot and saute until beginning to brown, scraping up any browned bits, about 10 minutes.

Stir in rice, roasted pimientos with juices and saffron. Add clam juice and chicken stock to pot and bring mixture to simmer. Remove from heat. Pour rice mixture into 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange chicken, shrimp, squid, clams and mussels in rice mixture. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and peas. Cover with foil.

Bake paella until chicken is cooked through, clams and mussels open and rice is tender, about 45 minutes (discard any clams and mussels that do not open).

Remove foil from baking dish. Let paella stand 10 minutes.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Note: I go to Spain frequently, and I've tried many kinds of paella there," says Bruce Cummings of Baltimore, Maryland. "Recently, though, I discovered an outstanding one right here in Baltimore, at Tio Pepe Restaurante.

Servings: 6
From: Tio Pepe, Baltimore, MD
Source: Bon App tit; February 2000; R.S.V.P.