Spanish Seafood Paella
Originating from the Valencian region of Spain, seafood paella is a traditional rice dish that has become synonymous with Spanish cuisine all over the world. The term paella literally translates to ‘pan’ from Valenciano, and the recipe is now considered a national treasure.
Equipment
- 1 50cm (20-inch) paella pan (For 4-6 people)
- 1 40cm (15.5-inch) Gas ring with inner and outer rings, and BBQ gas bottle (most gas rings attach onto a normal gas BBQ regulator and hose)
- 1 large wooden spatula or spoon for serving
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups Spanish bomba rice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1 liter 33 fl. oz. fish stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 medium shrimp
- 12 mussels (approx 0.5 kg / 2.2 lb.) scrubbed and beards removed
- 10 littleneck clams scrubbed
- 4 langostinos optional
- 200 grams 0.5 lb of white fish cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) cubes (optional)
- Chopped parsley and lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
STEP 1 - Prepare the vegetables
- On medium-high heat, heat the olive oil in a pan (50cm paella pan) and cook the onions for 3-4 minutes until golden.
- Add the bell peppers and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, be careful not to burn the garlic!
Step 2 - Add the rice
- Add the rice and stir it around until the rice grains are covered in oil. Add the white wine and bring it to a boil for a minute.
- Add the peas, smoked paprika, and a little of the salt, and stir to combine with the rice. Reduce the heat to medium.
Step 3 - Spread out the rice and add the stock
- Spread out the rice mixture around the pan so that it's evenly distributed. It should be around 1-2 grains deep.
- Pour the fish stock slowly over the mixture. Reduce the heat again to medium-low and allow the paella to simmer until half of the liquid is absorbed. This should take around 10-12 minutes.
Step 4 - Arrange the seafood
- Artistically arrange the seafood around the paella pan on top of the rice. Add a sprinkle of salt over the dish (optionally, you can add a little lemon juice from a fresh lemon).
- Continue to simmer the paella over medium-low heat for another 20 minutes or until the seafood is cooked through. You should see all of the mussels and clam shells open up once they are cooked.
- Tip to get the perfect crispy crust (socarrat):
- Be sure to turn the paella pan every few minutes while cooking the seafood (step 4 as mentioned above). This will position a different section of the paella pan over the flame to help create that crispy bottom crust, famously referred to as socarrat in Spanish.
Step 5 - Let the seafood paella settle
- Remove the pan from the heat and cover the entire pan with some aluminum foil for 10 minutes. This allows the heat from the paella to cook the rice and keeps it remaining crisp.
- IMPORTANT: While it may be tempting to jump straight in, don’t skip this step!
Step 6 - To serve
- To serve, remove the foil and serve garnished with some fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges on top.
Notes
Seafood paella-nutirition facts