Bring The Taste Of Spain Home This Holiday Season Recipe

I wrote a Paella Recipe that pairs shellfish with smoky chorizo and uses an unusual rice technique that will surprise you.

This holiday I wanted to bring the taste of Spain home with a dish that makes everyone lean in. I remember the first time I smelled saffron threads, it turned a whole room golden and I knew I’d been missing something.

I love the showiness of big, sweet large shrimp piled on top, like the finishing note of a story. This Paella Recipe isn’t about being perfect, its about gathering, loud plates and messy forks.

Think of it as a Seafood Paella Recipe Authentic Spain kind of night where you’re naughty with bold flavors and generous with laughter.

Ingredients

• Olive oil, heart healthy monounsaturated fat, gives richness and mouthfeel, not overly heavy
• Saffron, floral subtle bitter notes, tiny amount adds big aroma and colour, pricey
• Short grain rice, absorbs broth, starchy and creamy, provides carbs and satisfying texture
• Smoked paprika pimenton, smoky sweet flavor, low calories, brings warmth and deep red colour
• Shrimp, lean protein, quick cooking, adds sweet briny bite, watch salt it’s delicate
• Mussels, mineral rich shellfish, adds ocean umami, cooks open to show they’re done
• Peas, pop of sweetness, fiber and vitamins, bright green contrast and small texture

Ingredient Quantities

• Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
• Medium onion, 1, finely chopped
• Garlic cloves, 4, minced
• Red bell pepper, 1, sliced
• Ripe tomatoes, 2 medium or 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• Smoked paprika pimenton, 1 teaspoon
• Saffron threads, 1/4 teaspoon
• Short grain rice (Bomba or Calasparra), 2 cups about 400 g
• Dry white wine, 1/2 cup optional
• Fish or seafood stock, 4 1/2 cups about 1.1 L
• Large shrimp, about 1 lb 450 g peeled and deveined
• Mussels in shells, 1 lb 450 g
• Clams in shells, 1 lb 450 g
• Squid rings or calamari, 1/2 lb 225 g
• Frozen peas, 1 cup
• Fresh flat leaf parsley, 1/4 cup chopped
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon
• Bay leaf, 1 (optional)

How to Make this

1. Heat a wide paella pan or large skillet over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When hot, sweat 1 finely chopped medium onion until translucent, then add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 sliced red bell pepper and cook a few minutes till soft.

2. Stir in 2 medium ripe tomatoes (or 1 cup crushed tomatoes), 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, and the optional bay leaf. Cook until the tomato mixture thickens and the flavors concentrate, about 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Add 2 cups short grain rice (Bomba or Calasparra) to the pan and toast it in the tomato mix for 1 to 2 minutes so each grain is coated, this helps with even cooking later.

4. Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine if using and let it reduce for a minute. Then add about 4 1/2 cups hot fish or seafood stock (if you strained any shellfish juices from cleaning mussels and clams, add them to the stock), season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

5. Spread the rice evenly and bring to a steady simmer. Do not stir from now on, just shake the pan occasionally to keep rice level. Cook uncovered for about 10 to 12 minutes over medium-low heat until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

6. Nestle in the seafood: arrange 1 lb mussels and 1 lb clams (both rinsed and debearded), 1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined), and 1/2 lb squid rings over the rice. Scatter 1 cup frozen peas on top. If shells are closed toss any that do not open during cooking.

7. Cover the pan with a lid or loose foil for 5 to 8 minutes so the shellfish open and shrimp turn pink and rice finishes cooking. If you like a socarrat (crispy bottom) raise heat for the last 1 to 2 minutes, but watch closely so it doesn’t burn.

8. Check doneness, taste and adjust salt and pepper. If rice is still firm add a splash of hot stock or water and cook a few more minutes. Discard any mussels or clams that never opened.

9. Remove from heat, sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley over the top and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over each portion.

Tips: clean shellfish well and toss any that smell off, save shell juices for extra flavor, don’t stir the rice or you’ll make it gluey, and if you overcook slightly you can revive texture with a little hot stock.

Equipment Needed

1. Wide paella pan or large heavy skillet (12–14 inches)
2. Lid or loose foil to cover the pan
3. Chef’s knife for chopping onion, garlic and parsley
4. Cutting board
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to stir and toast the rice
6. Measuring cups and spoons (for rice, stock, wine, spices)
7. Ladle or large measuring cup for adding hot stock
8. Tongs and a fine-mesh sieve or colander for rinsing and handling shellfish

FAQ

Bring The Taste Of Spain Home This Holiday Season Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Saffron threads (1/4 tsp): you can swap with 1/4 tsp ground turmeric for that golden color, plus a tiny pinch of smoked paprika to add some smoky warmth, or use 1/8 tsp saffron powder if thats what you find; flavor wont be identical but color and aroma are covered.
• Short grain rice (Bomba or Calasparra, 2 cups): if you cant get true paella rice, use Arborio or another medium grain rice at the same volume; expect a slightly creamier texture so dont stir it, and keep an eye on liquid as cooking times vary.
• Fish or seafood stock (4 1/2 cups): make a quick stand-in with 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock plus 1 cup clam juice, or simmer a strip of kombu in the stock for 10 minutes for extra sea flavor; adjust salt to taste.
• Mussels/clams (1 lb each): no shellfish available? use 1 lb firm white fish (cod, halibut) cut into chunks or swap for 12 oz scallops or extra shrimp; add the fish near the end so it stays tender.

Pro Tips

– Bloom the saffron and warm the stock first. Crush the threads between your fingers and let them sit in a couple tablespoons of hot stock so the color and aroma open up, then add that liquid to the pot. Using hot stock keeps the rice cooking evenly.

– Clean and purge the shellfish well, but don’t drown them in fresh water or you’ll wash away flavor. Soak clams and mussels in cold salted water for 20 to 30 minutes to spit out grit, scrub the shells, remove beards, and keep any juices you strain out to add back to the stock.

– Don’t stir the rice once the stock is in, or it will get gluey. Spread the rice in an even single layer, give the pan a few gentle shakes now and then to level it, and resist the urge to poke at it.

– Time the seafood by how delicate it is. Add mussels and clams earlier so they can open and flavor the rice, but add shrimp and squid later so they turn pink and stay tender, not rubbery.

– For a good socarrat raise the heat only at the very end for 1 to 2 minutes until you hear a faint crackle, then remove from heat and let it rest covered. Watch closely so it crisps but does not burn, and if you overdo it you can always loosen stuck grains by pouring a splash of hot stock and covering to steam a minute.