Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe

“Paella, the essence of Spanish cuisine. Spain is famously known for Paella, especially in the region of Valencia, where Paella was created.”

“Use quality ingredients to make a great paella, fresh British Columbia seafood, Spanish round rice and Spanish saffron. Make sure your paella has Socarrat, the beautiful slightly burnt rice at the bottom of the pan. If you achieve Socarrat, you have made a perfect paella.”
Recipe belongs entirely to Spain on a Fork.

This Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe is loaded with Spanish flavours, and believe it or not, it is very easy to make.

Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

6 cloves garlic

1 medium onion

1 red bell pepper

1 cleaned tube of squid

½ cup extra virgin Spanish olive oil

1 cup tomato puree

1 tsp smoked paprika

Sea salt and black pepper

5 cups fish broth

2 sachet Spanish saffron in powder form

2 cups round rice

24 raw jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined)

16 fresh mussels

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 whole lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mince the cloves of garlic, dice the onions, and dice the red bell pepper.

Cut the cleaned tube of squid into small squares, and set aside with the cleaned and deveined jumbo shrimp, and the cleaned mussels.

Heat a paella pan or large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the extra virgin Spanish olive oil.

Once the oil is heated through, season with sea salt and add the squid into the pan, sauté for 2 minutes, then remove the squid from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions and garlic into the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add the red bell pepper, mix well and continue to cook for 3 minutes.

Add the tomato puree, season everything with smoked paprika, a generous pinch of sea salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper, continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Add the squid back into the pan, add the fish broth and the saffron, stir well and bring to a simmer.

Once the broth comes to a boil, add the round rice to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, gently distribute the rice throughout the pan. Let it come back to a simmer (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Add the shrimp and the mussels, cook for another 5 minutes and then lower the heat to a low-medium heat (do not mix the rice after this point, you can give the pan a quick shake once in a while).

Keep cooking for another 10 minutes. The rice should be cooked now, and all the broth absorbed.

Crank up to a medium-high heat for 1 minute – this technique is to make the Socarrat, the burnt rice on the bottom of the pan – then turn off the heat, cover the paella pan completely and let it rest for 5-7 minutes

Uncover the paella, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and 4 lemon wedges.

Serve and enjoy.