Winter Paella

This is a hearty winter-style paella with complex deep flavours coming from the duck and chorizo. Radicchio adds a welcome bitter counterpoint to the dish’s richness.

2 pinches of saffron, about ½ tsp (2 mL) loosely packed

1 cup (250 mL) warm water

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

3 whole duck legs, about 1¾ lbs (875 g) total, split at the joint between leg and thigh

1 head of radicchio, cut into 8 wedges (keep core intact so wedges don’t fall apart)

⅔ lb (350 g) fresh chorizo sausages, casing removed, sliced into ½ inch (1 cm) pieces

1½ cups (375 mL) Spanish onion, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp (15 mL) Spanish paprika

2 cups (500 mL) short-grain rice, such as arborio or calrose

½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine

1 cup (250 mL) canned, diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

3 thick strips of orange zest, removed from orange with a vegetable peeler

¼ cup (60 mL) pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock

½ lb (250 g) fresh clams, or at least 18 total, rinsed clean

2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 Steep the saffron in 1 cup (250 mL) warm water.

2 In a paella dish or large shallow pan, heat oil over medium and brown the 6 pieces of duck on both sides, about 15 minutes. Set aside on plate.

3 Add radicchio to the remaining fat in the pan and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes per side, gently turning radicchio so it retains its shape. Set aside with duck.

4 Add sausage and onion and cook over medium-high for 15 minutes until sausage is browned and onions are translucent.

5 Add garlic and paprika to pan and cook for 1 minute; add rice and stir well to coat with oil. Add wine, stir and reduce for 1 minute.

6 Add tomatoes, saffron and its steeping water. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

7 Add bay leaf, orange zest, olives and chicken stock. Stir well, bring to the boil and reduce to simmer. Nestle duck pieces evenly throughout the pan, cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, shaking pan to ensure even cooking of the rice. Only stir if necessary.

8 Nestle clams halfway into rice and continue to simmer over low heat for 12 minutes or until the clams are fully open. Clams take different amounts of time to cook; they open when they are fully cooked inside. As the clams are starting to open, nestle the radicchio evenly throughout the pan.

9 Remove bay leaf and orange zest, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 6 to 8