Spanish Seafood Paella
An authentic Spanish rice dish built on a fragrant sofrito base with saffron broth, shrimp, mussels, and calamari, finished with the prized crispy rice crust called socarrat. A showstopper for entertaining.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads
- 1 can canned diced tomatoes, drained
- 1.5 cups Bomba or Calasparra rice (or medium-grain)
- 4 cups seafood or clam broth
- 1 lb large shrimp (16/20 count), peeled, deveined
- 1 lb mussels, scrubbed, debearded
- 1/2 lb calamari rings (frozen is fine), thawed, patted dry
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
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1
Warm 4 cups seafood or clam broth in a small saucepan over low heat. Crumble 1/4 tsp saffron threads into the broth and let steep for at least 10 minutes.
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2
Heat 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet (12-14 inches) over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced yellow onion and 1 finely diced red bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
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3
Add 4 cloves minced garlic cloves and 2 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton) and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1 can drained canned diced tomatoes and cook, pressing them down, until the mixture thickens into a paste-like sofrito, about 5 minutes.
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4
Add 1/2 lb thawed, patted dry calamari rings (frozen is fine) and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle 1.5 cups Bomba or Calasparra rice (or medium-grain) evenly over the sofrito and stir to coat the grains with the oil and spices. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
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5
Pour the warm saffron broth into the pan, season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. Shake the pan to distribute the rice evenly — do not stir after this point. Reduce to a vigorous simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
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6
Arrange 1 lb peeled, deveined large shrimp (16/20 count) and 1 lb scrubbed, debearded mussels over the rice, pressing them lightly into the broth. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until the rice has absorbed the liquid, the shrimp are pink and opaque reaching an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), and the mussels have opened (discard any that remain closed).
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7
Raise heat to medium-high for the final 2 minutes to develop the socarrat (crispy bottom). Remove from heat, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 5 minutes. Scatter 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley over the top and serve with 2 cut into wedges lemon.