Seafood paella

How to make a seafood paella .

If there is a recipe with rice that triumphs around the world, it is paella , although not very well prepared outside Valencia.

The comparisons of the ” rice with ” that we find in many restaurants with the traditional and authentic Valencian paella vary greatly, until it is almost unrecognizable.

But within paella rices , seafood rice is generally very popular. In this type of rice in paella we use seafood and some fish to give it more flavor to the sea.

You can also find some seafood rices such as arroz a banda , rice with eels and conger eel, brown rice with fresh tuna, paella rice with baby squid and carabinieri, black rice or black rice, rice with sardines and peppers, rice with cuttlefish and cauliflower, rice with cod or rice with monkfish and prawns .

Many variants of rice recipes collected in the famous bible ” The Book of Paella and Rice ” by Lourdes March, which we will prepare little by little and complete our family of delicious rice dishes.

We have followed all the traditional points of a rice in paella although the defenders of Valencian paella can discern.

Of course, rice has to be bomba rice, in this case La Fallera , a trusted brand with which we always succeed. Also follow the cooking times and of course, use a paella to prepare this rice.

I hope you are encouraged to prepare it at home and not only in restaurants, I assure you that the result will surprise you.

You can see all the step by step photos of this seafood paella recipe  in this album. Do not miss any detail and it will be delicious

Before starting with the seafood paella

1. It is essential to have the paella ready and if possible with several uses (it helps that the rice does not stick). Size is important, allowing rice to cook evenly across its surface.
2. This is the first major problem that arises when trying to make the dish at home. To make it look good, the amount of rice should not be much more than a finger thick, so to make, for example, a paella for six people, we will need a container of around half a meter in diameter.
3. In the absence of firewood and fire with orange wood, we will need a good gas burner or temperature diffuser so that it reaches the total surface of the paella.
4. If you need to increase the amount of ingredients, you will also have to increase the size of the paella or casserole. The appropriate measures are:
   • 2-3 people- Paella of 30 cm.
   • 4-5 people- Paella 40 cm.
   • 6-8 people- Paella of 50 cm.
   • For 10 people- 55 cm paella.
   • For 12 people- 60 cm Paella.

Preparation of seafood for seafood paella

1. We clean the mussels well under the tap. With a knife we ​​scratch the impurities and we pull out the beards that protrude through the union area of ​​the shells.
2. We discard those that are broken or open. Fresh mussels should be open a millimeter or two and close when trying to open them.
3. We put a glass of water and the mussels in a large pot. We bring them to a boil with strong heat and covered. Since it boils we can leave them for two minutes over high heat (without removing the lid) or we can remove the ones that are opening.
4. Drain the mussels and reserve. The glass of cooking water that we will strain to remove impurities. We reserve to mix with the broth that we are going to add to the paella.
5. We wash the squid well, if we buy already cleaned squid rings, we will only have to wash and reserve.
6. We clean the beards of the shrimp and clean the monkfish if necessary. We reserve.

Preparation of fish and vegetables for seafood paella. Sofrito

1. We wash, clean, dry and cut the vegetables. Peel the garlic cloves and then cut the peppers into long strips, the onion into very small pieces and the garlic into super small pieces.
2. If you have a better machaajos, this way you will notice the flavor but not its texture. They can also be crushed in a mortar.
3. We heat a good chorretón of extra virgin olive oil in a paella pan over very high heat.
4. We start with the sofrito of the vegetables (garlic, pepper and onion) that we have chopped and to cook the base of this rice.
5. We add them to the very hot oil, first the garlic, then when the rest begins to catch color the order, onion, red pepper and green pepper.
6. We fry everything until this pochadito. When they are well poached we salt well. You have to control the fire well so that they don’t burn.
7. Add the squid and combine with the vegetables. We fry everything in the same oil.

Ñoras sauce and we throw the rice

1. Next we grate the tomatoes with a grater, cutting them in half and discarding their skin. We reserved for the ñoras sauce.
2. For the sauce, fry the ñoras, the saffron, a teaspoon of sweet paprika and the pulp of the tomatoes.
3. Everything in a saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil. We reserve.
4. If you do not like the skin of the lady you just have to leave them in hot water for half an hour and remove their pulp.
5. We add the rice diagonally and cross-shaped as you see in the photos. We distribute the rice evenly throughout the paella.
6. Then we pour the ñoras sauce. We fry again about 2 minutes until everything is integrated.

Preparation of the broth and we start with the rice

1. We heat the fish stock in a saucepan (or in the microwave) . It can be done with water but the flavor of the paella loses, we can also add half of the chicken stock so that our rice has more flavor.
2. We add the broth. It is better to be short than overdoing because we can always add a little more water if we see that the rice is too dry and has not been done yet.
3. The proportions depend a lot on the fire, the heat, the humidity and the diameter of the paella.
4. We need three times the volume of liquid than rice. Although it is the experience that will make you adjust and perfect these quantities.
5. We cook the broth with the ingredients for 15 minutes. It is a good time to taste the broth to see if it is tasty enough and to correct it with salt.
6. We do not want it to be bland, so it is essential that the broth is tested by at least 2 people so that there is consensus on this issue

Preparation of the seafood paella rice

1. We cook for 18-20 minutes, although here the time is marked by the grain of rice and the power of the fire, which we must allow to be consumed. It has to be completely dry and loose.
2. We try a few grains of rice and the point of salt again to verify the cooking point and flavor.
3. You can have a saucepan with boiling water next to it, in case you have to add water.
4. When there are 5 minutes of cooking we will add the pieces of monkfish and the seafood that we have reserved (scampi and prawns), except for the mussels that are already cooked and will decorate the paella.
5. Let it rest for a few minutes covered with a large cotton cloth. Once the rice is ready, remove the paella or casserole from the heat.
6. With about 5-8 minutes off the heat it will be enough to achieve a yummy result.
7. This time is essential so that the grain of rice takes its ideal point and is well loose.
8. Before serving, place the open mussels on top of the rice. And that’s it! Bon appetit!