Inspired by Spain’s
beloved paella, this
saffron-scented dish
features an enticing
combination of
briny mussels, sweet
shrimp, and salty
Spanish ham. If you
can’t find Spanish
serrano ham,
prosciutto can be
substituted. Clams
can be substituted
for the mussels.
serves 6
1 cup (51⁄2 oz/170 g) blanched almonds
6 cups (48 fl oz/1.5 l) chicken broth
1⁄4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (6 oz/185 g) chopped serrano ham
1 can (15 oz/470 g) diced tomatoes
1⁄2 cup (31⁄2 oz/105 g) long-grain white rice
1⁄4 tsp saffron threads
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb (500 g) medium shrimp,
peeled and deveined
12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 cup (5 oz/155 g) frozen peas, thawed
1⁄4 cup (1⁄3 oz/10 g) minced flat-leaf parsley
Process the almonds in a food processor until
very finely ground. Add 1 cup (8 fl oz/
250 ml) of the broth and process until the
mixture looks milky. Strain through a fine-
mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard
on the solids. Discard the solids.
In a large, heavy pot, warm the oil over
medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté
until just beginning to look translucent, about
2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, cumin, garlic,
and ham and cook until the vegetables are
tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes
and remaining 5 cups (40 fl oz/1.25 l) broth
and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and
simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 1 cup
(8 fl oz/250 ml) water to a boil over medium
heat. Rinse the rice under cold running
water until the water runs clear. Add the
rice, saffron, and 1⁄4 tsp salt to the boiling
water. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and
cook the rice for 15 minutes. Remove from
the heat and let stand undisturbed for
5 minutes. Fluff the rice.
Raise the heat under the soup to medium-
high and add the reserved almond liquid,
the shrimp, the mussels, discarding any that
do not close to the touch, and the peas. Cook,
stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are
pink and the mussels have opened, about
5 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place a scoop of the rice in each bowl
and top with the stew. Garnish with
the parsley and serve.
