|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Paella
Paella is a one of the world's most famous rice
dishes, and this version is a seafood extravaganza.
Although traditionally paella is prepared in a
paellera (a wide, shallow pan with looped handles)
and cooked over an outdoor fire, it's easy to
cook paella to authentic perfection in your own
kitchen over the stovetop. The following paella
recipe serves 4, and for best results cook in
a 14 or 15-inch paellera. A large shallow frying
pan makes an acceptable substitute. |
|
 |
 |
Chop
the vegetables |
 |
Finely
chop 1 red onion, dice
1 red and 1 green pepper (capsicum), finely
chop 4 cloves of garlic, and finely chop 2
tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley. |
|
|
| |
| |
Using a box grater, puree 2 ripe tomatoes
(vine-ripened are best), discarding the
skin. Alternatively you can use a cup
of canned peeled tomatoes mashed with
a fork.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peel
and devein 16 large raw shrimp (prawns), cut
2 squid tubes into rings, and scrub and debeard
12 fresh mussels. Cover and refrigerate. |
| |
Sofrito
is a Spanish tomato and onion sauce
which is used as a flavor base for a
variety of dishes, including paella.
To make the sofrito, heat 2 tablespoons
of extra
virgin olive oil in the paella pan
over a medium heat and cook the chopped
red onion, 2 tablespoons of parsley
and 3 of the chopped garlic cloves for
8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add
the pureed tomatoes and 2 teaspoons
of paprika (preferably Spanish
smoked paprika) and cook until all
the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated
and the sofrito has the consistency
of jam. Transfer the sofrito to a small
bowl and wipe clean the paella pan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
While
the sofrito is cooking, place the mussels in a
saucepan with half a cup of simmering water. Cover
and steam on a low heat for 5 minutes. Remove
mussels and set aside, discarding any that haven't
opened. |
|
Cook
the shrimp and squid
|
|
| |
Heat
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
in the paella pan over a medium-high heat.
Add the remaining clove of chopped garlic
and the shrimp and cook for 1½
minutes, tossing continuously. Add the
squid rings and cook for a further 1½
minutes. Remove the shrimp and squid from
the paella pan and lightly season with
salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cover and set aside.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cook
the diced red and green peppers |
|
|
|
Heat
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the
paella pan over a medium heat and cook the diced
red and green peppers for 6 minutes, stirring
occasionally. |
| |
Add
the sofrito back to the pan along with
1½ cups of Spanish Calasparra
or Bomba rice (regular medium-grain rice
makes a good substitute) and cook for
a minute, stirring to coat the grains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Add
hot stock, saffron, salt and pepper and cook without
stirring |
|
|
|
Add
3 cups of heated fish or chicken stock, a pinch
of saffron threads,
1½ teaspoons sea salt and ½ teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine,
and bring to a rolling simmer. Cook for 10 minutes,
uncovered without stirring. (To make sure the
rice cooks evenly you will need to regularly move
the paella pan around the heat source, or you
can stradle the paella pan over two burners.) |
|
Lower
the heat and continue cooking
|
|
| |
Lower
the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for
a further 15 minutes without stirring.
After 15 minutes, turn the heat up to
medium-high for a minute or so until you
can smell the rice toasting at the bottom,
then remove the paella pan from the heat.
(The toasted rice bottom of a paella is
called socorrat and is highly prized.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Add
seafood and peas and cover |
|
|
|
Push
the reserved shrimp, mussels and squid into the
cooked rice, and scatter with half a cup of defrosted
green peas. Cover the pan with foil or a clean
cloth, and let the paella rest for 5 minutes. |
| |
Present
the paella in the pan at the table with
lemon wedges on the side for drizzling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
