2 tbsp. olive oil
4 sweet or hot Italian sausages
4 sm. chicken thighs (or use 2 thighs and 2 legs, separated to make 4 pieces) about 1 lb.
1 green unblemished sweet pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 hot dried red pepper, optional
1/2 tsp. stem saffron
1 lg. bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme or half a tsp. dried thyme
1 c. canned, undrained tomatoes
1 c. rice
3/4 c. water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 little neck clams, the smaller the better
8 shrimp, peeled and deveined
Finely chopped parsley

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Prick the sausages with a fork and add them. Cook, turning often, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down and continue cooking sausages and chicken until chicken skin is browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces often and continue cooking about 10 minutes, or until sausages have cooked, a total of 20 minutes, and the chicken 15 minutes. As the sausages and chicken cook, prepare the pepper, onion, and garlic. Add these to the skillet. Add the saffron, bay leaf and thyme. Stir.

Add the tomatoes, rice, water, salt and pepper. Cover closely. Cook 15 minutes. As the mixture cooks, rinse and drain the clams. Peel and devein the shrimp. Add the clams and shrimp to the rice mixture. Cover again and let cook about 8 minutes longer. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley. Yield: 4 servings.