Spanish
Paella de Marisco
Saffron rice cooks in a broad paella pan with squid, mussels, clams, and shrimp, developing a dry, savory grain and a delicate toasted socarrat.
6 servings · 35 minutes prep · 35 minutes cook
Ingredients
Saffron Stock
- 5 cups fish stock, unsalted or low-sodium
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- up to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, up to, added gradually to taste after tasting the stock
Rice and Seafood
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces cleaned squid, bodies cut into rings, tentacles separated
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 10 ounces ripe tomato, coarsely grated, skin discarded
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups Spanish short-grain rice, bomba or Calasparra preferred; use only as much stock as needed for tender grains
- 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded; discard cracked shells or mussels that do not close when tapped
- 1 pound small clams, scrubbed; discard cracked shells or clams that do not close when tapped
- 1 pound large shrimp, shell-on, deveined
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Directions
Prepare the Stock and Sofrito
- Bring the fish stock to a simmer with the saffron; keep hot. Taste, then add the salt gradually only until the stock tastes savory but not salty.
- Heat the olive oil in a 15-inch (38 cm) paella pan over medium-high. Sauté the squid for 90 seconds and transfer to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds, add the tomato, and reduce for 6 to 8 minutes until jammy. Stir in the paprika for 15 seconds.
Cook the Rice
- Stir the rice through the sofrito for 1 minute. Pour in 4 1/2 cups (1.07 L) hot stock, distribute rice evenly, and do not stir again. Center the pan over the widest available burner and boil briskly for 8 minutes; if the burner is narrower than the pan, rotate the pan a quarter-turn every 2 minutes for even heat.
- Reduce to a steady simmer. Nestle the mussels and clams hinge-side down and cook 6 minutes.
Add Seafood and Form Socarrat
- Arrange the shrimp and reserved squid over the rice. Cook 5 to 7 minutes more, turning shrimp once, until opaque and the rice is just tender; add remaining hot stock only where grains remain firm.
- Increase heat for 45 to 75 seconds until a gentle crackle is audible. Remove immediately, discard unopened shellfish, rest uncovered for 8 minutes, and serve with the lemon wedges.
Allergen and Product Check
- Allergen note: contains fish, crustacean shellfish (shrimp), and molluscan shellfish (mussels, clams, and squid). Verify prepared fish-stock labels and cross-contact controls.
