Paella Soup

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers (1 and 1/2 lbs total)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup cubed cooked ham (1/2 in) or Canadian bacon (4 oz)
• Spanish rice mix (you will need 2 packages, 5 to 6 ounces each)
• 1 1/2 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron thread (optional)
• frozen peas (1 cup of the frozen, petite kind)

Directions

1. 1

   Rinse, stem, seed and chop bell peppers.

2. 2

   In a 5-6 quart nonstick pan over high heat, stir 1 and 1/2 cups chopped red peppers with the oil and ham until peppers are limp, about five minutes.

3. 3

   Add rice, water (as specified on package) and seasoning packets.

4. 4

   Bring to a boil, cover reduce heat, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. 5

   About 8 minutes before rice is done, in a 4 to 5 quart pan over high heat, bring broth and saffron to a boil.

6. 6

   Stir in shrimp, cover and return to a boil.

7. 7

   Reduce heat and simmer until shrimp is opaque in center of thickest part (cut to test) about 5 minutes.

8. 8

   With a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a small bowl.

9. 9

   Return broth to a boil over high heat.

10. 10

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

11. 11

    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.