OLaVie Seafood Paella Recipe:

OLaVie _seafood_paella.jpg
 
 

Seafood Paella

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of chicken stock

  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon of saffron threads, crumbled (If you don’t have saffron, you can use a combination of turmeric, paprika, and cardamom - pinches of each)

  • 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced

  • 1 red bell pepper, diced

  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 cups of chorizo

  • 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes

  • 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp

  • 1 pound of fresh mussels (be sure to thoroughly clean the grit from these!)

  • 3 cups of any short-grain rice

  • Pinch of salt to taste

  • Pinches of cayenne pepper (optional if spiciness is desired)

Instructions:

It’s best to use a cast iron or a wider faced pan (think width over depth.)

*Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a separate pot , bring the chicken stock to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add in the saffron (or substituted spices) and salt. Turn off the heat, and let this mixture settle for 15-20 minutes. Add additional salt to taste if needed.

  • In your paella pan heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and red pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Then add in the garlic and chorizo.

  • Add the rice and toast along with onions and red peppers for about 5 minutes.

  • Add in stock and can of tomatoes, stirring to mix well.

  • Allow the rice to simmer and to cook. Most of the stock should be absorbed after about 15-20 minutes. DO NOT STIR, allowing for the paella to get slightly crispy.

  • Carefully position the mussels and shrimp into the rice. Cover the pan with foil and place inside your heated oven for about 5-10 minutes. This will allow the seafood to cook through (the shrimp should have a pinkish color and the mussels should be opened).

The bottom of your paella should be browned — known as the socarrat — this caramelized crunch is what makes paella addicting!