- Paella

Ingredients:

1-2 large red peppers cut into strips, ½ large onion, sliced, 2-3 peppercorns, 1-2 Tb. cumin seeds, 4 sprigs fresh parsley, 4-5 garlic cloves, 1 cup rice per person, 1 lemon, sliced, 1 small can tomato sauce, 1 Tb. saffron, about 1 pound chicken pieces; 1-2 thick slices pancetta, diced; seafood- calamares (octopus rings), small shellfish, pieces of fish, small hard shell crabs, and/or shrimp.

Preparation:

Fry the peppers in olive oil in a large skillet until slightly browned.  Take peppers out of oil and place them on a piece of paper towel; set aside.  Remove fat from chicken and pancetta.  In same oil, fry chicken and pancetta over medium heat until browned.  Add the onion at the end, shortly before turning heat off so it just gets cooked.  While cooking, crush the spices with a mortar and pestle, including parsley.  Turn the heat off when the meat is done.  Using a spoon, take out the spices and mix them in with the meat.  Add the rice and mix it in to the meat mixture, along with the tomato sauce and the juice from the lemon.  Mix until well blended.  Add two cups of water per cup of rice, and cook over medium heat until the rice is cooked soft.  A few minutes before turning off the heat, add the peppers that were reserved, so they don’t break apart.  Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.  Squeeze lemon onto the paella as desired.