Daring Cooks August Challenge: Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish and Artichokes

Okay, okay so I'm a week late. Better late than never right? I must stress that I wasn't late cooking the challenge though, just late in actually posting the results. As usual, I waited until the very last minute to bust out the recipe but bust it out I did. It's an Aries thing that pesky procrastination. Or perhaps it's a human thing, I dunno. I've been meaning to get this up for days now but house guests and fun and life in general got in the way. It happens.

Anyway, the challenge for Daring Cooks this month was a Spanish dish that consisted of Rice with Mushrooms, Artichokes and Cuttlefish and it was hosted by Olga of Olga's Recipes. It couldn't have come at a better time because Paella was on my list of things to make and this is a Paella type dish. This recipe is absolutely delicious. My favorite part was the sauce called "Sofregit." It is essentially olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers and onions. The Sofregit adds such freshness to the dish, perfect for Summer. In lieu of finding Cuttlefish (which I couldn't) I went with Olga's other suggestions which were clams, mussels and shrimp. The recipe also calls for a garlic aioli which is to be served on top of the rice. I personally didn't care for it too much but my Husband and Mother-In-Law really liked it so I would encourage you to try it. Overall, Olga's recipe was exactly what I was looking for; simple, fresh and just plain good. So while this challenge couldn't have come at a better time. Here's hoping next Month I will actually be on time.

Click here for Olga's original recipe with step-by-step instructions. This is a traditional Spanish recipe so Olga has some good authentic tips:

My recipe is exactly the same as Olga's except for the following changes:
-Instead of Cuttlefish, I added 1/2 lb shrimp (cleaned, deveined and shelled,) 1/2 lb mussels and 1/2 lb clams. The shellfish was added to the pan near the end of the cooking time, covered with a lid and steamed for about 10 minutes or until the mussel and clam shells open. Remember to discard any mussels or clams if the shells didn't open after you have cooked them.
-Also, I squeezed half a lemon over the final dish and sprinkled it with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.