Paella

• ¼ cup Achiote Oil
• One 3 to 4-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces
• Fine sea or kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 chorizo, andouille or any smoked, garlicky sausages (about 1 ¼ pound), cut into ½-inch slices
• ½ cup Sofrito
• ¼ cup alcaparrado or coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
• 1 pound large (about 20 per pound) shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• 1 dozen little neck clams, cleaned and soaked in cornmeal bath
• 1 pound mussels, scrubbed
• 4 cups long-grain rice
• Bottled clam juice or Chicken Broth, homemade or canned, or water as needed (about 4 cups)
• One 10-ounce package frozen peas, defrosted and drained
• ½ cup diced (1/2-inch) roated red peppers, homemade or store-bought

Heat the achiote oil in a paella pan (or similar pan) over medium-high heat until rippling. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add as many pieces skin side down to the pan as fit without touching. Cook, turning as necessary, until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove pieces as they are done and set aside. Adjust the heat under the pan, especially after you start removing chicken, so the chicken browns without the oil darkening.

Add the chorizo to the pan and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the sofrito, alcaparrado or olives, and salt and pepper.  Raise the heat to high, add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until they change color, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the rice until coated with oil. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in enough broth to cover the rice by the width of one finger (the shellfish will contribute more liquid) and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the level of liquid reaches the rice. Nestle the shellfish into the rice in and among the chicken pieces. Adjust the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through. Timing will vary depending on your pan, check after 20 minutes. Scatter the peas and roasted red peppers over the top, give the paella a big stir, and serve immediately.