Dec 15, 2007
I've now made this recipe several times, and each time, I've done something different, but its always tasted fantastic.
My changes: instead of using shellfish (due to allergy), I fried fish separately, then cut it into strips, and added it to the meat.
Also, I didn't use red pepper flakes and I'm glad I didn't, because either the smoked paprika or the chorizo gave the meat mix lots of spice.
I also cheated with the lemon zest. Since its not my favorite thing to do, I used McCormick's "California Lemon Peel".
Also, a lot of reviewers have complained about the cost of saffron (which is $10-13/gram), but I've found that Mexican Saffron-- aka "safflower" is a highly acceptable substitute. It makes a VERY good saffron rice, it's only $1 for a quarter ounce, and you don't have to feel guilty about adding lots. I've made it with both the Spanish/Moroccan saffron as well as Mexican saffron, and prefer the Mexican because it is quite good, easy to find, and doesn't break the bank.-- Basically, the difference in taste doesn't justify the money and time spent to acquire Spanish saffron.
Those were my main changes, everything else has always been little; the recipe is forgiving enough to come out great, almost no matter what.
—AngelaSpencer