Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe

This recipe was made with the help from one of Gayle's English students, Cloti who is the head of tourism in Orce village. This seafood paella recipe is one the more common recipes although there are many adaptions with the seafood ingredients.

This paella recipe is also available with more photos here

Paella Ingredients:

1/2 kilo mussels
1/2 kilo cockles or clams
1/2 kilo squid
2 swordfish steaks
1/2 kilo fresh prawns
3 ripe vine tomatoes
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
Handful fresh broadleaf parsley
4 cloves garlic
4 strands saffron
1 kilo calasparra rice (short grain)
3 - 4 pints fish or chicken stock
Cup extra virgin olive oil
S&P to taste



Method:

1. Prepare the veg - peppers, onion, garlic and tomatoes should be diced (small).

2. Prepare the seafood - clean and de-beard the mussels and cockles. Remove the bone from the squid and slice the flesh into rings. Cut the swordfish into bite sized chunks.

3. In a large paella pan (36cm), heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, peppers and tomatoes, fry gently

4. Cook on a moderate heat until the vegetables begin to soften but do not allow them to brown.

5. Add the squid rings and swordfish chunks to the pan and cook for a few minutes, then reduce the heat.

6. Meanwhile, steam the cockles and mussels until they are just beginning to open, Remove them from the heat and set aside.

7. Add the paella rice to the paella pan, turn up the heat and stir the rice well allowing it to mix with the fish and become coated with the oil. Let the rice cook for 3 - 4 minutes.

8. Slowly add the fish stock to the rice, stirring gently. Cook on a high heat for five minutes then reduce the heat.

9. In a mortar, bash and crush the strands of saffron with a pinch of salt and the parsley, add a small spoonful of water and mix well together.

10. Add the saffron and parsley to the paella pan and mix well so it is evenly distributed throughout.

11. Allow to cook for 10 - 12 minutes stirring only occasionally to test.

12. Go back to the mussels and open the shells discarding the half without the mussel in.

13. Add the prawns and cockles to the dish and cook for a further 5 - 6 minutes.

14. When the paella rice has soaked up the stock, turn off the heat and add the mussels.

15. Cover the dish with foil and allow the paella to rest for a few minutes.

16. Remove the foil, decorate with slices of lime or lemon and serve.

This paella recipe will serve 8 good portions. Need step by step pics? Click here