Amelia's Pressure-Cooker Paella

From the start, I'll say the is not a "real" paella - but is certainly a practical subsitute for home use. This is designed for a pressure-cooker, but can be cooked in a normal pan - cooking time is longer (about 20 minutes & requires a bit more liquid).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Chicken cut in medium-sized chunks
• Shrimp or prawns
• 1/4 cup tomato paste (or puree)
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• A pinch of saffron (or: paprika, tumeric or yellow food coloring)
• 1 cup short-grain rice
• 1 3/4 cups hot "shrimp water"
• Green beans and/or lima beans
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt

Preparation:

• Lightly cook green beans (or limas) in salted water. Peel shrimp. Boil the shells (only the shells) in salted water to make the "shrimp water".
• Brown chicken pieces and garlic in hot olive oil; Add tomato paste, cook over high heat until it begins to stick.
• Reduce heat, add rice, green beans, saffron, and shrimp. Mix well, add "shrimp water".
• Cover pressure-cooker and raise to high heat. When pressure is up, reduce to low heat, and cook for exactly 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat, leave in cooker for 10-12 minutes, uncover and serve with a nice Spanish wine.

Notes and comments:
Don't scrimp on olive oil or salt - both are important for the right taste.
Don't over cook - the rice should be "al dente" (but not too hard)
You can use a variety of meats (or fish) as alternatives. Possible vegetables include peas and artichokes - which can blacken the rice, but are just great.
If you don't use shrimp, substitute vegetable water or stock for "shrimp water".

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