Seafood paella
Seafood paella is the Sunday dish of the Spanish coast: one pan, short grain rice that soaks up all the stock and seafood added at the end so it stays tender. Bomba rice is the classic choice, but any short grain rice works well, sushi rice included, because the short grain holds the flavour without turning to paste.
Instructions
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Prepare the seafood
Thaw the mussels, prawns and squid tubes in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours, then drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Leftover water steams the rice instead of frying it, so this minute of care pays off.
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Sear them briefly ⏱ 2 min
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a paella pan or a wide skillet. Sear the prawns for 1 minute per side and the squid rings for another minute, just until they take on colour, then lift them onto a plate. They go back in at the end.
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Build the base ⏱ 5 min
Add the rest of the oil, the garlic and the smoked paprika and let them go for 30 seconds, until the kitchen smells like summer. Pour in the grated tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until reduced and darker.
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Add the rice, no stirring ⏱ 18 min
Scatter the rice evenly and stir once, just to coat it. Pour in the hot stock with the saffron, season with salt and simmer over medium heat for 18 minutes. From here you do not stir at all, that is how the golden crust at the bottom, the socarrat, forms.
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Add the seafood ⏱ 5 min
Arrange the mussels shell side up, the prawns and the squid over the rice, cover the pan with foil or a lid and give it 5 more minutes, until everything is piping hot. Check that no free liquid is left on top.
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Rest and serve
Turn off the heat and let the paella rest for 5 minutes, covered. Scatter the parsley, tuck the lemon wedges around the edge and bring the pan straight to the table.
Good to know
The golden rule is not to stir once the stock is in, otherwise you release the starch and end up with risotto instead of paella. Saffron is optional, the smoked paprika already does half the job. For the short version, one pack of Seafood Cocktail Mix replaces the whole prawn, squid and clam mix.
Frequently asked questions
Why should I not stir paella once the stock is in?
Stirring releases the starch from the rice and you get risotto, not paella. After you pour the hot stock over the rice you leave it on medium heat for 18 minutes untouched, which is how the golden crust at the bottom, the socarrat, forms.
Can I use sushi rice for paella?
Yes, Koshihikari Sushi Rice works very well because the short round grain holds the flavour without turning to paste. You use the same 350 g as with classic bomba rice.
How do I properly thaw frozen seafood for paella?
Keep the Green-Lipped Mussels, Black Tiger Prawns 16/20 and Squid Tubes U/5 in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours, then drain well and pat dry with paper. Leftover water steams the rice instead of frying it.
When do I add the seafood so it does not toughen?
You sear it briefly at the start, one minute each, then lift it out and return it over the rice only in the last 5 minutes, under a lid. That way it stays tender instead of turning rubbery.
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Authentic taste isn't improvised, it's taken Seriosly.
Seafood paella
Seafood paella
Seafood paella is the Sunday dish of the Spanish coast: one pan, short grain rice that soaks up all the stock and seafood added at the end so it stays tender. Bomba rice is the classic choice, but any short grain rice works well, sushi rice included, because the short grain holds the flavour without turning to paste.
Notes
The golden rule is not to stir once the stock is in, otherwise you release the starch and end up with risotto instead of paella. Saffron is optional, the smoked paprika already does half the job. For the short version, one pack of Seafood Cocktail Mix replaces the whole prawn, squid and clam mix.
