The seafood paella is a wonderful dish. Paella is a typical dish from Valencia, but it later became characteristic of the whole of Spain. The name paella comes from the specific pan used to prepare it, called a paellera. Paella can be prepared in various ways, with fish, with meat, with vegetables, or mixed, but the traditional Valencian one is made with chicken and rabbit meat mixed with vegetables. For this preparation, Bomba rice is used because it absorbs liquids well without overcooking, thus remaining crunchy. However, you can alternatively use Carnaroli or Arborio rice. Preparing paella is not difficult nor very easy, but if you follow the recipe step by step, I am sure you will have an excellent paella. Here is the recipe for you!

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Expensive
Rest time: 5 Minutes
Preparation time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Portions: 6/8
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients

600 g Bomba rice
1.5 cups olive oil
10.5 oz shrimp
7 oz cuttlefish
7 oz squid
8 scampi
5.5 oz cleaned mussels plus a few closed ones
2 packets saffron
7 oz tomato pulp
1 clove garlic
1 bell pepper
5 cups Fish stock

Tools

Paellera

Procedure

First, clean the cuttlefish and squid and cut them into small pieces. Open the mussels (it’s okay to do it over heat if you cannot open them raw), and remove the heads and shells from the shrimp, which will be used to prepare the broth.

Prepare the broth with the shrimp heads and shells and season with oil, parsley, celery, garlic, onion, salt, and a bay leaf. Cook for about 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in the paellera over high heat, then add the scampi and let them brown for a minute.
Add the shrimp, sauté, and turn the scampi. Add the cuttlefish and squid and sauté for 5 minutes.
Move the scampi to the edges of the paellera so they stay warm but do not cook further, or you can set them aside to add them later.
Add the open and closed mussels.
Let the mussels open and add the chopped bell pepper.
After 2 minutes, add the tomato pulp and minced garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Dissolve the saffron in a glass of hot broth and add it to the paella. Stir all ingredients, including the scampi.
Add the chili pepper, pour in all the broth, and keep boiling on high flame.
Add the rice, flattening it well, lower the heat, and do not stir it until the end of cooking. About 20 minutes for Bomba rice. During cooking, a crust will form, which is a typical characteristic of paella (socarrat).
The seafood paella is ready!
Before serving, cover it for 10 minutes with a cloth, so the rice absorbs moisture and does not dry out on the surface.