Paella Soup

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

2 pounds x red bell peppers - (1 ½ total)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup cubed (½") cooked ham or Canadian bacon (4

2 ounces pkt Spanish-style seasoned rice mix - (5 to 6 e

1 1/2 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (optional)

1 1/2 pounds frozen deveined peeled shrimp - (21/30 ct)

1 cup frozen petite peas

Preparation

Rinse, stem, seed, and chop bell peppers. In a 5- to 6-quart nonstick pan over high heat, stir 1 1/2 cups chopped red peppers with the oil and ham until peppers are limp, about 5 minutes. Add rice, water (as specified on package), and seasoning packets. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

About 8 minutes before rice is done, in a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring broth and saffron to a boil. Stir in shrimp, cover, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until shrimp is opaque in center of thickest part (cut to test), about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a small bowl. Return broth to a boil over high heat.

Stir peas into rice mixture and cook until they're hot, about 2 minutes.

Mound hot rice mixture equally in the center of 6 wide soup bowls, spoon shrimp around rice, sprinkle with remaining chopped red peppers, and ladle broth around rice.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Comments: A flavored rice mix gives this company-worthy soup a head start.