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1
If you have shrimp with heads, twist them off and peel and devein the bodies, reserving both heads and shells in the refrigerator.
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2
Otherwise, just peel and devein the shrimp and reserve the shells in another bowl in the refrigerator.
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3
Scrub and rinse the mussels, pull off any beards sticking out the sides, and reserve in the refrigerator until needed.
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4
Slice the chorizos into rounds between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.
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5
PREPARE the broth: Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and stirring in the onion and garlic.
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6
Cook until the onion turns translucent but doesnt brown, about 5 minutes, and stir in the shrimp heads (if you have them), the shells, and, if you dont have heads, any shells youve saved up in the freezer.
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7
Break up the heads and shells with the end of a European-style rolling pin (the kind without the handles) or the front end of a cleaver with the handle held sticking straight up.
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8
Continue breaking up the heads and/or shells for about 5 minutes and stirring them around until they turn orange and smell fragrant.
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9
Add the tomatoes, bouquet garni, and 6 cups of water (you could also use chicken broth) and simmer for 30 minutes.
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10
Work through a food mill or strainer (if youre using a strainer, push hard with a ladle or wooden spoon to extract the juices) and reserve.
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11
Discard the heads and/or shells.
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12
PREPARE the soffrito: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot and stir in the onions.
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13
Stir the onions until they soften and begin to caramelize.
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14
If the onions start to brown before 15 minutes, turn down the heatthey should only caramelize after theyve completely softened and the sweet juices are released into the pan.
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15
Chop the chili very fine, into a paste.
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16
Stir the chili and garlic into the caramelized onions and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes more.
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17
Stir in the tomatoes and reserved broth.
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18
BRING the mixture to a simmer and pour in the rice (Spanish cooks insist it shouldnt be rinsed).
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19
Stir the rice only once or twice during the cooking (too much stirring will cause it to release too much starch), moving a wooden spoon along the bottom of the pot to make sure the rice isnt sticking.
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20
Stir in the saffron and paprika and return to a simmer.
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21
Simmer the rice, covered, for about 15 minutesbite into a grain to make sure it is very close to being doneand add the mussels.
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22
Simmer, covered, until the mussels open, about 5 minutes, then add the shrimp and chorizo.
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23
Simmer for 2 minutes more.
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24
Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and ladle into heated bowls, making sure everyone gets an equal share of shrimp and mussels.
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25
SUGGESTIONS AND VARIATIONS
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26
Spanish rice soups are great made with fish (the broth made with the heads and bones, the fish filets added minutes before the soup is done) and poultry (broth made with chicken stock, chicken parts browned separately and almost completely cooked in olive oil before a 5-minute simmering in the soup).
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27
Green vegetablespeas, green beans, spinach, and chard (shredded)can be stirred into and cooked directly in the soup, essentially turning it into a one-pot meal.
