Storm's Seafood Paella

[Storm]

This recipe is adapted from The New Spanish Table.

Ingredients:

About 5 cups shrimp stock or 3-1/2 cups clam juice diluted w/ 1-1/2 cups water. (I prefer 4 - 5 cups chicken stock, better flavor)

1 large pinch saffron, pulverized in a mortar. (If you don't have a mortar, just chuck it in)

6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil.

1/2 lb. monkfish or other firm flesh fish, cut into 1" chunks.
(I prefer to skip the fish and substitute 1/2 lb. scallops) I have tried swordfish in this recipe.

Coarse salt (sea salt). (I prefer to skip the sodium. Seafood has enough salt w/out adding more.)

4 to 6 oz. cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles cut into 1" pieces. (I prefer to use just the tubes)

10 medium sized garlic cloves; 8 crushed w/ a garlic press, 2 minced. (I prefer to use 4 or 5 Tbs. minced garlic from the jar) It's easier and you won't know the difference.

2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut in half and grated on a box grater, skins discarded. (I prefer to substitute 1 14oz. can diced tomatoes) This is easier and adds more flavor.

1-1/2 ts. sweet (not smoked) paprika.

1-3/4 cups short to medium grain rice. (I prefer Della aromatic Basmati) You can't beat the texture and flavor of this rice.

1/2 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley. (I prefer to use the stuff in tubes, about a 1/2 tube does the trick) Quicker, less mess.

12 small littleneck clams, scrubbed. (Mahogony's are a cheaper substitute and full of flavor)

12 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined.

2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving.

*** In addition to scallops, I like to add:

1 lb. chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4" slices (How can you make a good paella w/out chorizo?)

2 lbs. mussels

1 red bell pepper, cut into lengthwise strips

Directions:

1. Place the shrimp stock (chicken stock) in medium-sized saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Add saffron and continue to simmer until ready to use.

2. Pour about 1" water into large pot. Bring to boil. Add mussels, steam for 3 to 4 min. until shells open. Remove most of the cooked mussels from shells, reserve about 20 or so of cooked mussels in shell for ambiance. This is my way of making a dish look good, w/out the nuisance of all the extra shell. Don't skip this step and cook mussels in paella. They will over cook and get stringy.

3. Place 1 Tbs. olive oil in skillet. Add chorizo sausage and cook over medium heat for about 4 to 5 min. Remove skillet from heat.

4. Place 3 Tbs. olive oil in 16" paella pan (or appropriate substitute) over single burner and heat on medium until it starts to smoke. Cook squid until just seared, about 2 minutes.

5. Push squid to edge of pan away from heat. Add 1 Tbs. olive oil to center of pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes to center of pan, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced, about 5 to 7 minutes. Push squid to center of pan and mix w/ tomatoes. Add paprika and stir.

6. Preheat oven to 425.

7. Add rice to paella pan and stir gently to coat w/ mixture. Pour in 4 cups of simmering chicken stock. Set paella pan over two burners, stir in parsley, and shake pan to distribute rice. Cook over medium heat for 5 min. Periodically rotate pan so liquid boils evenly.

8. Press clams, monkfish (or scallops), and chorizo sausage into top of rice and cook until cooking liquid is almost level w/ rice but rice is still rather soupy, another 2 to 3 min. (I usually add 2 to 3 min. to this step)

9. Arrange red bell pepper strips on top of ingredients in pan.

10. Transfer pan to oven and bake until clams open and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. (Again, I like to add a few extra minutes (3 to 5) more)

11. Add cooked mussels and arrange mussels in shell on top of paella.

12. Cover pan w/ aluminum foil and let stand for at least 5 minutes. (Don't cheat on this step) The longer, the better

12. While rice is standing, heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in skillet or wok over high heat. Stir-fry shrimp, a few at a time, adding some of the minced garlic to each batch, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, 2 to 3 min. per batch.

13. Arrange lemon wedges around edge of paella and decorate top w/ shrimp.

14. Serve and enjoy. Slices of crusty bread and Cabernet Sauvignon or cold beer is always a good accompaniment to any meal.


Bon appetit!

Storm

[Glenn W]

Now that's some good eats right there---- IMO even better the second day reheated.
My family loves Paella--- they've been on me since the holidays to make a batch---- I'll give this recipe a try next time--- thanks.

[Fish Biz]

Man that sounds good.

[Storm]

Now that's some good eats right there---- IMO even better the second day reheated.
My family loves Paella--- they've been on me since the holidays to make a batch---- I'll give this recipe a try next time--- thanks.

No doubt it's better the second day. If only my appetite could wait that long, it would be better to make it a day in advance.

[24/7 BAIT CO.]

im trying this next, sounds great