Seafood Paella

Yum! That's exactly what comes to mind when I look at the photos and remember my stay in Spain. I ate my fill of paella back then, all kinds: with seafood, without seafood, and black paella (colored with squid ink). And even though I was near Valencia, where they tend to serve paella without seafood, made with chicken and rabbit instead, the one I ordered most often was seafood paella, because I simply adore all kinds of shellfish and other sea creatures :)

Paella is a dish meant for company. To this day I remember a group of young Spaniards who, with loud music, dancing and laughing, were making paella together. They were in some kind of club with a huge fire pit in the middle and a huge flat paella pan. That is exactly how I imagine making paella should be.

Seafood paella, and paella in general, is not as complicated as it might seem. All it takes is a little time and a good feel for getting the rice just right. The most suitable is special short-grain paella rice. If you can't find it, you can substitute arborio rice, the kind used for risotto.

Seafood paella

The point of paella is to let it brown a little on the bottom. The rice should be sticky, not loose, and on the bottom there should be a slightly sticky, slightly browned layer, which is exactly what gives paella that special something.

If you don't have saffron, use red bell pepper, and for color maybe a little food coloring (but that's not necessary). I wouldn't use turmeric, which doesn't go with this dish at all and can only spoil it.

As I already wrote, I like seafood paella best, and I didn't skimp on the seafood when making it. If, for example, you can't get fresh mussels, you can leave them out. The chicken (or rabbit) and the shrimp and/or squid are enough.

If you're going on vacation to Spain, you absolutely have to try this dish!

Instructions - Seafood Paella:

Go through the mussels and throw away any that are already open. Clean them and steam them, and save the cooking liquid. Cook 6-8 shrimp in boiling water for about a minute. Take them out of the water and add that liquid to the liquid from cooking the mussels. Peel the remaining, uncooked shrimp.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and slowly fry the chicken pieces until browned. Add the squid and, continuing to fry, add the green bell pepper, then the tomatoes, garlic, and peas or beans.

Mix the liquid from cooking the shrimp and mussels with the broth so that you get about 1 ½ liters of liquid. Add all of it to the paella except 1 ½ cups.

Crush the saffron in a mortar and dissolve it in a little water or wine, then add it to the simmering paella. Also add the rosemary, pepper and salt, and the peeled shrimp.

When the liquid comes to a boil, add the rice and cook over high heat for 6-8 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook until the rice is almost done. From time to time add the liquid you set aside earlier, but don't stir the rice, just shake the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes. Arrange the mussels, the cooked shrimp and the strips of pimiento on top. Let the paella "settle" for about 5 minutes and serve with lemon wedges.

Enjoy!

Inspired by "Great Dishes from Spain" by J. Mendel