Someone once told us that the trick with paella is to use just enough saffron to complement the shellfish… well, that and to never to combine meat and seafood in one paella dish. Based on that criteria, we’re fairly confident in this recipe; but please, feel free to give it a try yourself and tell us your thoughts!
Ingredients
Recipe inspired by: Paella Valencia, Spanish Seafood, Paella de Marisco
Shrimp Brine Ingredients:
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp baking soda
Seafood Paella Ingredients:
1 Tbsp kosher salt, divided + more to taste
8 oz fresh clams
~1.5 - 2 lb head-on prawns (or large shrimp)
Shrimp Brine (see recipe above)
¼ cup olive oil
8 oz cuttlefish or squid, cleaned + diced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 large ripe tomatoes, grated
2 ½ tsp Spanish sweet smoked paprika (pimenton)
1 lb Spanish paella rice
1 tsp saffron threads
64 oz Fortified Fish Stock (see recipe below), divided
8 oz fresh mussels, cleaned
To garnish: lemon wedges
Fortified Fish Stock Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb prawn heads/shells
1 onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves
64 oz fish stock (or water)
4-5 parsley stems
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Method
Serves: 4-6
Shrimp Brine Method:
Combine the salt and baking soda in a small bowl. Whisk to combine, then reserve until ready to use.
Seafood Paella Method:
Add 1 tsp of salt to a large bowl of water. Add the clam and allow them to soak for at least 1 hour, this will help remove grit from the clams.
Remove the heads, peel, and devein (if necessary) all but 4-6 of the prawns, these will be reserved for presentation. Reserve the heads and shells for the Fortified Fish Stock (see recipe below).
Combine the Shrimp Brine and peeled prawns in a medium bowl. Using gloved hands, massage the brine into the shrimp. Reserve the prawns at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Heat the olive oil in a large paella pan over medium heat. Season the oil with 1 teaspoon of salt.
Add the head-on prawns to the oil and cook on each side for 30 - 45 seconds, or until the shells turn right orange. Then, remove the prawns from the pan and reserve. This will only par-cook the prawns.
Add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the onion turns translucent. Add the garlic and stir the vegetables with a metal slotted spoon or wooden spatula. Cook the mixture for 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the cuttlefish/squid to the pan and stir to combine the ingredients. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the cuttlefish turns opaque.
Create a well in the center of the paella pan, then add the sweet paprika. Toast the paprika for 15 seconds, then stir to combine the ingredients.
Add the grated tomato mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Cook the mixture until most of the water has evaporated, about 2-4 minutes.
Add the paella rice and stir to combine once more. Toast the rice for 1 minute.
Combine the 8 oz of the Fortified Fish Stock and the saffron in a small bowl. Stir the mixture until the stock is tinted by the saffron, then add it to the paella pan.
Then add the remaining Fortified Fish Stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to the pan. Stir to evenly distribute the rice. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and cook for the rice for 10 minutes.
After about 10 minutes, about 75 percent of the water should be evaporated. At this point, nestle the clams and mussels into the rice and remaining cooking liquid. Arrange the uncooked prawns around the pan and lay the seared head-on prawns in a decorative pattern on top of the paella.
Turn the heat to low and continue cooking the paella for 5-10 minutes longer, or until almost all of the moisture has evaporated, the rice is al dente, and the prawns, clams, and mussels have all cooked through. The bottom of the the paella should be lightly caramelized/toasted, this is called socarrat and it is the sign of a well prepared paella!
Turn the heat off entirely and cover the paella with a large clean dish towel. Allow the paella to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Garnish with lemon wedges and serve!
Fortified Fish Stock Method:
Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
Once the oil is preheated, add the prawn shells and cook for 1-2 minutes or until well toasted. Then add the onion and garlic cloves, toss to coat the ingredients in the oil and continue to cook the mixture for 1 minute longer.
Add enough fish stock (or water), parsley stems, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Then, bring the mixture to a simmer. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface.
Continue simmering the stock for 30 minutes over medium low heat.
Strain and reserve the stock until ready to use. Alternatively, chill the stock over an ice bath until it reaches 70 °F. Then refrigerate the stock for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.