Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe
Description
Seafood Paella is a Spanish rice dish that originated in the Valencia region. It is a versatile dish that can be made with a variety of ingredients. Here we have our variant which is in our opinion as close to the classic as possible.
Ingredients
- 4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cup arborio or bomba rice (short-grain rice)
- 1/2 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1/2 lb mussels (cleaned)
- 1/2 lb squid (cleaned and sliced into rings)
- olive oil (for cooking)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 diced bell pepper (red or green)
- 3 clove garlic (minced)
- 2 tomatoes (diced)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Broth: • In a saucepan, heat the chicken (or seafood) broth over medium heat. • Add the saffron threads and smoked paprika to the broth. Let it simmer gently while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Prepare the Seafood: • In a large paella pan or a wide, shallow skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. • Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until they turn pink. Remove and set them aside. • In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed and briefly sauté the squid rings for about 1 minute. Remove and set them aside. If using mussels or clams, add them to the pan with a splash of white wine or broth. Cover and steam until they open, about 5-7 minutes. Discard any that don't open. Remove the cooked shellfish and set aside.
- Cook the Aromatics:
• In the same paella pan, add a bit more oil if necessary, then sauté the diced onions and bell peppers until they become soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic and diced tomato. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the tomato softens. - Sprinkle the rice over the sautéed aromatics in the pan. Stir for 1-2 minutes to coat the rice with the flavors.
- Strain the saffron-infused broth into the paella pan with the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the paella simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is nearly cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Do not stir the rice once it's simmering.
- Arrange the cooked shrimp, squid, and shellfish on top of the paella. Sprinkle the frozen peas on top.
- Cover the paella pan with aluminum foil or a lid and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked. Remove from heat and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Tips
- Use Bomba rice for the best results. This type of rice is short-grained and absorbs a lot of liquid, which helps it to cook evenly and not be mushy.
- If you don't have a paella pan, you can use a large skillet or Dutch oven.
- You can add other vegetables to the paella, such as green beans, zucchini, or tomatoes.
- If you are using frozen seafood, thaw it before adding it to the paella.
- Don't stir the rice after adding the broth. This will prevent the rice from cooking evenly.
- Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to blend and the rice to absorb the remaining liquid.
- If you are using seafood that is not already cooked, cook it until it is just opaque. Overcooking will make the seafood tough.
seafood, paella, spanish