Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Irv Miller

Ingredients:

For the ham hock broth:

1 gallon water
2-3 smoked ham hocks
2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons salt
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

For the paella:

1/4 cup pure olive oil
12 fresh boneless chicken thighs diced into large cubes
3 pounds chorizo sausage cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup small-chopped yellow onions
2 vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup small-chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons minced garlic
14-16 cups ham hock broth
Generous pinch saffron threads
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
4 cups Bomba rice (short grain rice)
1 pound Southern peas (white acre, cowpea, black-eyed)
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
Pinch kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All cooked ham hock meat

Instructions:

For the ham hock broth: Place all ingredients in a 2-gallon stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer 2 hours. Strain; reserve liquid. Let cooked ham hocks cool and then remove meat. Discard bones and fat from ham hocks.

For the paella: Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare ham hock stock first. Then heat a large paella pan and add olive oil. Place over burner on medium high. Add cubed chicken and sausage and let brown for 2 minutes, remove, and then place in drain pan. Reduce heat to medium and add the cut-up onions, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic (sofrito). Stir and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until onions become brown and the liquid from the diced tomatoes has evaporated.

Add the hot broth, saffron, paprika, rice and Southern peas. Stir in rice; place browned chicken, sausage and pulled ham hock meat on top. Cook over medium heat without stirring for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not disturb the rice. Do not burn the rice. Loosely cover with foil and let simmer over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Just before serving, turn up heat for 2 minutes for a perfect socarrat (crispy bottom). Add fresh-chopped parsley and serve.