Paella de Valencia at Home

4 chicken thighs
1/2 lb, 1-link, chorizo sausage, sliced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 red and/or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced shiitake mushrooms (optional)
1 cup short grain white rice
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1/4 tsp cumin
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup frozen artichoke quarters
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup green olives, drained
12 large shrimp, peeled

In a big sauté pan, which can go under a broiler, brown the chicken thighs and the chorizo sausage in a bit of olive oil for about 10 minutes total. Turn chicken twice to brown both sides well. Remove chicken to a bowl, and add the onion, carrot, celery, red pepper, mushrooms and rice to the pan and sauté for about 6-8 minutes, stirring often, so as to soften the veggies, but not to brown the rice. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, saffron and cumin and cook another 2 minutes. Add the wine, water and salt and stir. Nestlé the chicken thighs in the rice mixture, and submerge the artichokes about the chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Uncover the paella and nestle the shrimp about the chicken pieces. Do not stir. Scatter the peas and olives about the dish. Spray the top of the dish with a bit of canola oil, and then broil for about 5 minutes, watching carefully. You want the chicken and the shrimp to brown and sizzle a good bit, but don't let it burn. Serve with lemon or lime. Serves four.