Paella

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt, coarse, to taste
Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Olive oil, as needed
8 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 lb chicken thighs
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut pole to pole into 1/2-inch strips
8 oz Spanish chorizo, sliced 1/2-inch thick on the bias
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained, minced, and drained again
2 C arborio rice
3 1/4 C chicken stock
1/2 C dry white wine
1/2 t saffron, crumbled
1 bay leaf
1 dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 C peas, frozen, thawed
2 T parsley leaves, chopped
1 lemon, cut in wedges for serving

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 350.

Toss the shrimp, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t pepper, 1 T oil, and 1 t of the garlic in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat 2 t oil in a 15-inch paella pan or skillet oven over medium high heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Add the pepper strips and cook, stirring occasionally, until the skin begins to blister and turn spotty black, 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the pepper to a small plate and set aside.

Add 1 t oil to the now empty paella pan, heat oil until shimmering but not smoking.

Add chicken pieces in a single layer and cook, without moving the pieces, until browned, about 3 minutes.

Turn the pieces and brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer and transfer chicken to a medium bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and add the chorizo to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and the fat begins to render, 4-5 minutes

Transfer the chorizo to the bowl with the chicken and set aside.

Add enough oil to the fat in the paella pan to equal 2 T. Heat over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking.

Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in the tomatoes, cook until the mixture begins to darken and thicken slightly, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the rice and cook until the grains are well coated with the tomato mixture, 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth, wine, saffron, bay leaf, and 1/2 t salt.

Return the chicken and chorizo to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the rice absorbs almost all of the liquid, about 15 minutes.

Remove the paella pan from the oven.

Uncover paella and scatter shrimp over the rice. Insert mussels hinged-side down into the rice (so they stand upright), arrange bell pepper strips in a pinwheel pattern and scatter the peas over the top.

Cover again with aluminum foil and return to the oven. Cook until the shrimp are opaque and the mussels have opened, 10-12 minutes.

Set the paella pan, uncovered, over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, rotating the pan as needed for even browning.

Discard any mussels that have not opened and the bay leaf, if it can be easily removed.

Sprinkle the paella with parsley and serve, passing the lemon wedges separately.