Seafood Paella
This is a dish my family loves. It’s nutritious, tasty and not so difficult to make.
This recipe has portions that would feed a family of four very comfortably.
If you don’t eat or like seafood, replace it with chicken and chicken broth. Method remains the same.
INGREDIENTS:
Medium Grain Rice or Spanish rice- 3 cups
Chopped Garlic or garlic granules- 2 teaspoons
Chopped onions- 2 medium size
Chopped Red Bell Pepper- 1 large
Tomato puree- 1 cup
Diced Squids- 1 cup
Jumbo shrimps- 8 pcs (use smaller ones if available easy- about 1 cup )
Mussels cleaned- 1cup (I find it difficult to source mussels often so I simply don’t add them. Follow the rest of the recipe as is it)
Boneless fish pieces- 8 (I use Basa Fish)
Parsley- I tbs chopped
Basil- 1tbs
bay leaf- 2
Olive oil- 3tbs
Fish broth- 3 cups (very easy to make. Just boil fish bones with chopped onions in 4 cups of water on low flame for about 40 minutes. Strain it.)
White Wine – 1 and 1/2 glass
Ground Pepper- 1 teaspoon
Saffron -1 pinch
Sea salt- 1 tbs or according to taste ( also depends if the salt has been used in the broth. Adjust accordingly)
Lemon wedges- 4
A broad, heavy base pan, preferably a cast iron pan (Refer to the image for the pan I have used)
Note: If fresh seafood is not available, use frozen ones.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
Put the pan on medium heat. Add little olive oil and and then the squids. Sauté for 2 minutes and remove the squids from the pan.
Add diced onions and garlic with rest of the oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add Red bell Pepper and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add tomato puree, sea salt, wine, saffron, pepper, bay leaves and parsley and mix it all well. Let it cook for five minutes.
Add the rice and squid and mix well. After this don’t stir the rice as a traditional Paella needs to form a crust at the base called socarrat.
Slowly add the broth and shake the pan a few times to let the broth mix well.
Cook for 5 minutes and add the seafood on top.. Don’t stir.
Reduce the heat to low and let it cook.
Let it cook on low heat for another 10 minutes. If the rice is still not cooked, add some water or broth, but only as much as required.
Once the rice cooks, turn the heat to high for one or two minutes. This will make the crust form.
Remove from heat. Garnish with fresh Parsley and Basil. Add lemon wedges to be sequeezed when eating.
Serve Hot!
Note: I have never reheat Paella as I always make it right before the meal time. Also if you don’t eat or like seafood, replace it with chicken and chicken broth. If you are vegetarian, use vegetable brith and whatever vegetables you like.