1 large pinch saffron threads
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 hot smoked
sausages (I use Beef Hot Links from the supermarket, but you can use
turkey or chicken sausages; anything smoked will work, but hot and
spicy is better!), cut on a diagonal into large chunks
1/2 – 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into large chunks
1 medium red onion, cut in quarters
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock (low sodium storebought, or homemade)
1 cup arborio rice
12 – 18 pitted black jumbo olives (use canned olives, because you don’t want a strong flavor)
15 – 18 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (21-25 size or 26-30 size. A few more or less won’t matter.)
Black pepper to taste
Soak
the saffron in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Then, put on an apron —
the first steps in this cooking are messy. In a 3-quart straight-sided
sauté pan, or 4- or 6-quart stockpot, heat the olive oil. Add sausage
chunks, and brown all over. Remove from pan. Add chicken, brown all
over and remove from pan. The pan will be black and gunky, but don’t
worry — this will all dissolve into the finished dish. Add onion, green
and red peppers, and sauté quickly until the onion is just translucent,
about 2 minutes. Return the sausage to the pan, add the saffron water
with saffron, wine and 1-1/2 cups of the stock. When the liquid boils,
turn down to low. Add the rice, stir once, and cook for 5 minutes. Add
the chicken back into the pan, along with the olives. Now, don’t stir
for a while.
Go away, drink some wine, make a salad.
Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the rice is nearly cooked, about 10 minutes or more. There should still be liquid in the rice, but not much. Add the shrimp, making sure to stuff them down into the rice. Season with lots of black pepper. From this point, you may have to stir every now and then to keep the rice from sticking, and if it is cooking too fast, add the remaining chicken stock. Continue cooking until the shrimp are done, approximately 5 minutes or so. Serve hot.