Frankly Great Paella

Everywhere you travel in Europe, you see sausage.  And many sausages - whether in Paella, Cassoulet, Choucroutte, or at breakfast look just like frankfurters.  That's because basically, they are.  Classically the 'Frankfurter Wurstchen' from Frankfurt, Germany, is a smoked pork sausage prized for its simple, homogeneous form and deep smoked flavor.  Served and accepted for centuries in Germany and throughput Europe, they are a common sausage, still today.

Unfortunately, here in the USA, they have been denigrated, and segregated from other sausages as inferior.  That's probably only because of some unfortunate manufacturers, but actually, there are many great frankfurters (hot dogs!) around.  Don't just use them in a bun - think sausage, and use them in dishes, but only good ones.  If you are concerned about sodium or fat, use them only as an accent, as I do here in Paella.

I love them.  OK there - I said it.

3/4 cup short grain rice (I used brown)
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 lb best franks you can find
1 leek, cleaned and diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds (or powder)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup green olives
1/4 cup black olives
1 dozen whole peeled shrimp
palmful fresh parsley or cilantro, minced

In a large oven-goin skillet or paella pan, saute the rice, barley, franks, leek and carrot in about 2 tablespoons canola oil.  Stir very often to make sure the rice does not burn, cooking for about 5 minutes or until the rice transitions from transparent to translucent.  Add the garlic and cumin and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

Carefully add the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, stir, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, until the broth is absorbed.  Toss in the shrimp and olives, cover and cook another 5 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the shrimp are cooked through.  Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro and serve.  Serves 4.