SPANISH SEAFOOD PAELLA RECIPE

SPANISH SEAFOOD PAELLA

Paella, the essence of Spanish cuisine. Spain is famously known for Paella, specially in the region of Valencia, where Paella was created. I was born in Valencia, Spain, so Paella has been a huge part of my life. I grew up eating paella every sunday with my family, and it´s a very special dish, it brings everyone together to the table and always creates beautiful memories. This Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe is loaded with spanish flavors, and believe it or not, it is very easy to make. I cooked my seafood paella in a typical paella pan, but you can always use a large frying pan if you don´t have a paella pan, but I do recommend a paella pan.

1.  -3 cloves garlic
2.  -1/2 onion
3.  -1/2 red bell pepper
4.  -1 cleaned tube of squid
5.  -1/3 cup extra virgin Spanish olive oil
6.  -1/2 cup tomato puree
7. -1/2 tsp smoked paprika
8.  -sea salt
9.  -black pepper
10.  -2 1/2 cups fish broth
11.  -1 sachet Spanish saffron in powder form
12.  -1 cup round rice
13. -12 raw jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined)
14. -8 fresh mussels (debearded and cleaned)
15. -fresh parsley
16. -lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First you want to cut up all your ingredients, mince 3 cloves of garlic, dice 1/2 of an onion, dice 1/2 of a red bell pepper and cut 1 large cleaned tube of squid into small squares, also reserve 12 raw jumbo shrimp that have been peeled and deveined and 8 fresh cleaned mussels

2. Heat a paella pan or large frying pan with a medium-high heat and add 1/3 cup of extra virgin Spanish olive oil, once the oil get's hot season it with sea salt and add the cut squid into the pan, mix it around and cook for 2 minutes, then remove the squid from the pan and set it aside, add the onions and garlic into the pan and mix with the oil, after 1 minute add the red bell pepper, mix and cook for 3 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of tomato puree, season everything with a generous 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, a generous pinch of sea salt and a hint of freshly cracked black pepper, continue to cook for 2 minutes, then add the squid back into the pan, add 2 1/2 cups of fish broth and the saffron, gently mix everything together

3. Once the broth comes to a boil, add 1 cup of round rice to the pan and then gently distribute the rice throughout the pan with a wooden spoon, do not mix the rice, after 5 minutes of cooking add the shrimp and the mussels, cook for another 5 minutes and then lower the fire to a low-medium heat (do not mix the rice after this point, you can give the pan a quick shake once in a while)

4. After simmering for 10 minutes and there is very little broth left, turn the fire back to a medium-high heat for 1 minute, this technique is to make the socarrat (burnt rice on the bottom of the pan), then turn off the heat, cover the paella pan completely and let it rest between 5-7 minutes

5. Uncover the paella, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and a couple of lemon wedges