Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds) cut into 8 pieces, bone in
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 6 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch slices
• 3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
• 9 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons Essence
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon† saffron threads
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 36 scrubbed littleneck clams
• 36 scrubbed and debeared mussels
• 18 medium shrimp in their shell (about 3/4 pound)