Known for its filling nature, paella (as seen on page 87 of Natasha Sideris’ Inspired cookbook) has remained Spain’s most popular dish since its culmination in the 19th century. Described as the stuff of legendary meals, paella is traditionally cooked in a large, shallow metal pan with handles over an aromatic fire fueled by pine cones and orange branches.
Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole garlic clove, blanched
- 125 ml French mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 30ml olive oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 80g chorizo sausage, diced
- ½ red pepper, diced
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled & chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, blanched & finely chopped
- 2 pinches of paprika
- pinch of saffron, hydrated in a little hot water
- 450ml bomba rice
- 1L fish stock
- salt & black pepper
- 12 mussels on the half shell
- 12 medium prawns, washed & deveined, shells on
- 16 clams, cleaned
- 160g squid heads
- 200g frozen peas
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
- bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
- To make the aïoli, blend the whole garlic clove, lemon juice, French mayonnaise and a pinch of salt together until smooth and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a paella pan or large frying pan. Sauté the red onion and chorizo over medium heat until the onion is translucent but not browned. Stir in the red pepper, tomatoes, chopped garlic cloves, paprika and saffron.
- Add the rice, stir once to coat evenly, pour in half the fish stock and stir once again, then leave it alone to simmer gently on a low heat for 10 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange the mussels, prawns, clams, squid heads, peas and lemon wedges on top of the rice. Pour in the remaining fish stock and cover with tin foil.
- Cook for another 10 minutes. It’s ready when the seafood is cooked, and the rice is just beginning to stick to the base of the pan. Take care not to overcook the seafood or burn the rice on the bottom.
- Serve straight from the pan at the table, topped with dollops of aïoli and a generous scattering of chopped parsley. Have an extra bowl of lemon wedges on the side and a carafe of chilled white wine or rioja.
Recipe serves 4 and is courtesy of Natasha Sideris of tashas café / @tashascafe
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