How delicious the fish paella is, or the paella de marisco to say it in the original language. Honestly, I confess that I did not follow the traditional recipe 100%, I read many and then, as always happens, I did it my way, also to create a lighter version of the classic one.
But I assure you it turned out delicious anyway. If you have a good homemade fish broth and therefore do not use the one made with stock cubes, our fish paella will be even more flavorful. And certainly, it is not a dish to be prepared in a few minutes, after all, it is like a seafood risotto and therefore it requires its preparation and cooking time, but with my step-by-step instructions anyone can try their hand with ease. Let’s get cooking!
You can find some other fish recipes here:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 cup Carnaroli rice (preferably Arborio or Carnaroli)
- 1.1 lbs squid
- 14 oz shrimp
- 14 oz clams
- 10.5 oz mussels
- 1 oz extra virgin olive oil (4 teaspoons)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 3 bell peppers
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- as needed fish broth (can be made with stock cubes)
- as needed salt and pepper
- Points per serving = 13 WW points
Preparation
First, clean the mussels and clams thoroughly and let them open in two separate covered pots, without adding anything else and stirring occasionally. It will take a few minutes. When the shellfish have opened, drain them, preserving the released liquid, which you should filter and set aside for later.
In a non-stick pan, sauté the shrimp for a few minutes with a teaspoon of oil and then set aside, keeping warm.
Sauté garlic, shallots, and chopped bell peppers in a wok or large non-stick pan with two teaspoons of oil. Add the squid cut into rings and sauté for a few minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, and a little salt. When the water released by the tomatoes has evaporated, remove the bay leaf, take everything out of the pan and keep warm.
In the same pan or wok, heat a teaspoon of oil and add the rice, stirring continuously. When the rice looks glossy, pour in the two tablespoons of wine and let it evaporate. Then pour in the filtered clam and mussel cooking liquid and the reserved squid and tomato sauce. Also add the saffron threads, smoked paprika, peas, and a couple of glasses of fish broth.
Stir everything well, cover, and let it cook over low heat. Cook the rice trying not to stir it continuously, and if it gets too dry, add a little broth. It should cook by absorption.
When the rice is cooked, add some of the clams and mussels, stir, and then add the rest of the shellfish on top.
And now our fish paella is ready, what a nice aroma, it’s time to go to the table! Wait about ten minutes for it to cool slightly so it will be even better.
Here at home it was a great success. I know, the traditional paella de marisco includes more types of fish, the use of the typical paellera, and a more precise procedure. But if we want to enjoy a good paella, which remains a popular food and therefore should not be difficult to cook, it will be enough to simply follow this procedure.
And it also comes out so light, just one teaspoon of oil per person, little rice, vegetables, and lots of fish which is so good with all its excellent properties. Try it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below or on Facebook.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
