Elsie Ramos' Seafood Paella

Number of Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients:
*Note: Chorizo is available in Latin American groceries, as well as some larger supermarkets and butchers.
1 head of garlic (peeled and separated into cloves)
2 cups of unsalted butter (4 sticks)
3 or 4 lobster tails (about 1 pound each)
1½ dozen littleneck clams (scrubbed clean)
¼ cup of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of sofrito
½ cup of achiote oil
3 chorizo links (about 8 ounces and cut into bite-size pieces)
1 Ten-ounce can of chopped baby clams (drained)
½ cup of Spanish green olives (with pits, drained)
4 cups of canned chicken broth
2½ cups of long-grain white rice (rinsed)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds of bay scallops (thawed if frozen)
2 pounds of medium shrimp (peeled and deveined; thawed if frozen)


Instructions:
1. Begin by pre-heating your oven to 325°F
2. In a IMUSA Pilón or wooden bowl, add 2 to 3 inches wide of garlic and mash it with a pestle (use the back of a wooden spoon if you don't have a pestle).
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the mashed garlic and set aside. Give the lobster tails a quick rinse under cold water. On a baking sheet, lay the lobster tails (meat side up). Drizzle some of the melted garlic butter on top and bake in the oven until the shells turn red (about 10 to 12 minutes), then set aside.
4. On a baking sheet, place the littleneck clams and bake until all the clams open (about 10 to 12 minutes). If any of the clams do not open, make sure to throw them away. Drizzle the remaining garlic butter over the clams and set aside. In a large IMUSA Caldero or heavy pot, add the vegetable oil, Sofrito, and achiote oil and let simmer over low heat. Proceed by adding the chorizo to the pot, let cook (stirring occasionally) until light browned or for about 5 minutes. Finalize by adding the canned clams and olives, then stir.
5. Stir in the chicken broth and raise the heat to high. Once it begins to boil, add the rice and mix well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook until the broth has slightly evaporated but still visible.
6. Add the scallops and shrimp to the pot, then cover and let cook over low heat until the rice is fully cooked (about 15 minutes).
7. Spoon the rice into a large bowl or serving platter. Place the garlic buttered lobster tails and clams on top of the rice and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Elsie Ramos. Elsie uses IMUSA cookware. Find Elsie online at ElsieRamos.com

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