Seafood Paella Recipe
Seafood Paella Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive (or Saffron Oil)
- 1 Onion , diced
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Paprika, sweet or smoked
- 1 teaspoon Saffron (2 or 3 threads)
- Salt & Pepper
- 2 cups Paella Rice from Valencia, Spain (or Spanish Rice, Bomba Rice)
- 5 cups Fish or Chicken Broth
(Ratio is 1 cup of rice to 2.5 to 3 cups of stock)
- 1-2 Packages of Paella Seafood Mixture
- 6 Shrimp (optional)
- Fresh Lemons or Preserved Lemons, for garnish
Three Important Componants
- Our Seafood Mix for Paella, Risotto & Pasta from Italy contains small pieces of squid, shelled Chilean mussels, shelled shrimp in fish broth. Find in our freezers!
- While Safron Threads are a key ingredient for giving paella rice its beautiful yellow colour. Paella Spice can be substituted for Paprica and Saffron, however Safron threads are preferable.
- The Paella pan is a shallow pan from which Paella got its name. It allows for even cooking which helps to create that crispy rice crust known as socarrat*. Find this pan at Herma’s! A cast-iron pan, stainless steel skillet or Wok may also be used.
Step-by-Step
- In a paella pan, heat oil just until it’s hot. Sauté the shrimp (if using) and Paella Seafood Mix until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and pat dry.
- Using the same pan with the same heat add the diced onions and mix with oil, 1 minute.
- Add the minced garlic and mix with the onions, 1 minute.
- Add 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly cracked black pepper, mix it all together until well combined, 2 minutes.
- Add 5 cups fish broth, pinch in 1 tsp saffron threads and season again with sea salt, give it a quick mix and bring to a boil.
- Boil for an extra minute to let the saffron really infuse into the broth, then add 2 cups of rice and evenly spread it around. Do NOT stir the rice. DO give the pan a quick shake here and there.
- About 8 minutes after adding the rice, let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Add seafood on top of rice. At this point there should be very little broth left. Bring to a medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes to achieve the socarrat*, then remove the pan from the heat and cover with a dish cloth.
- After letting your paella rest for 5 minutes uncover it and garnish with lemon slices and freshly chopped chives.
Socarrat
*The word Socarrat is derived from the Spanish word socarrar, which means to burn or to scorch. Socarrat refers to the crispy caramelized layer of rice that forms at the bottom of paella. This layer is achieved when the broth in the paella evaporates, exposing the rice to direct heat and allowing it to fry and caramelize. Make sure heat is distributed evenly and find that sweet spot of broth to rice ratio.
Other Traditional Food Choices for Paella
- For a richer flavor, you can add chicken to your paella which is a traditional meat for this dish. If you do add chicken, use chicken broth for your Paella instead of fish broth. Cook for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place around the edge of the Paella pan.
- Jumbo shrimp, calamari, scallops and clams are all delicious additions as well.
- Green beans, peas, tomatoes and bell peppers are vegetables commonly added to Paella.
