Rice As Made In Valencia - 1 (Paella Valenciana)

Put 5 cups water to boil. Cut chicken into very small serving pieces, dry pieces with a towel, sprinkle with salt, and fry in very hot olive oil in a medium-sized pan.

When chicken has browned for 5 minutes, add the tomato, the garlic, the beans broken into pieces 1 to 2-inches long, and the peas. Stir while frying for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the fire to mix in paprika, and on returning it to fire, pour in boiling water.

When the mixture boils again, dilute saffron in a little of the boiling liquid and add it with the snails. Salt to taste and let it all cook over a slow fire 15 minutes. Put a little more water to boil on the side.

When the snails and chicken are done, add a little boiling water to make up for what has been lost in the cooking. Bring it to a rapid boil on a hot fire. Add rice. Let it cook rapidly 2 to 3 minutes, then continue cooking another 10 to 12 minutes over a low fire. When the rice is done, leave it over the lowest possible heat for another 5 minutes to dry.