Classic Seafood Paella
A proper paella is about managing heat and moisture. You aren't looking for a creamy risotto texture; you want individual, distinct grains of rice saturated with the flavor of the sea and aromatics.
Commit to the pan
The width of the pan dictates the depth of the rice; keep it shallow so the grains have room to cook through. Do not touch the rice once the stock hits the pan.
- 15-inch paella pan or wide, shallow skillet
- heavy wooden spoon
- chef's knife
What goes in.
- 2 cupsBomba or Calasparra rice
- 5 cupsseafood stock, heated
- 1 lblarge shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lbmussels, cleaned and debearded
- 1/2 lbsquid, cleaned and sliced into rings
- 1large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- 2ripe tomatoes, grated to a pulp
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- 1 pinchsaffron threads, crushed
- 1/2 cupolive oil
- to tastekosher salt
Managing the bottom crust
In the final two minutes of cooking, increase the heat to medium-high. Listen for a distinct crackling sound, which signals that the fats and rice are searing against the bottom of the pan.
The method.
Sear the seafood
Heat half the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Quickly sear shrimp and squid until just opaque, remove, and set aside.
Build the base
Add the remaining oil, onions, and garlic to the pan. Cook until the onions are soft and light gold, then stir in the tomato pulp and paprika.
Toast the rice
Add the rice to the pan, coating every grain in the oil and tomato mixture. Toast for 2 minutes until the edges of the grains look translucent.
Simmer
Pour in the hot stock infused with saffron. Distribute the rice evenly with a spoon, then arrange the seafood on top. Do not stir again.
Cook
Simmer for 15-18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, cover with foil.
Other turns to take.
Mixed Paella
Add cubes of chorizo or chicken thighs during the initial onion sauté for a heavier, land-and-sea approach.
Vegetable Paella
Replace seafood stock with vegetable broth and incorporate artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and peas.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Never wash the rice; you need the surface starch to maintain the structure of the grain.
If using a gas stove, rotate the pan occasionally to ensure the edges cook as evenly as the center.
Let the finished pan sit for 5 minutes off the heat before serving; this settles the starches.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use long-grain rice?
Avoid it. Long-grain rice becomes too fluffy and lacks the starch absorption required for the texture of a traditional paella.
How do I know the mussels are safe?
Any mussel that remains closed after the cooking time should be discarded immediately.