Seafood Spanish Paella
In trying to create what I ordered in Madrid at Ursulas, this recipe was given to me from a Spanish passenger on the plane home from Madrid.
In trying to create what I ordered in Madrid at Ursulas, this recipe was given to me from a Spanish passenger on the plane home from Madrid.
- Carbohydrate 3.31410000001032 g
- Cholesterol 29.8987500369834 mg
- Fat 11.7075875139522 g
- Fiber 0.209999990463257 g
- Protein 2.72542500014621 g
- Saturated Fat 7.12095125883611 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (111g)
- Sodium 215.765000099081 mg
- Sugar 3.10410000954706 g
- Trans Fat 0.985213750976707 g
- Calories 127 calories
Step-by-step
- In a pan of hot water, cook the seafood (except for the prawns) with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes. Then set aside seafood and save the water for broth. Save uncooked prawns for later to garnish. They can be sauted briefly and held.
- Saute the green pepper and garlic in the olive oil until they are "golden" and then add the tomatoes to the "sofrito".
- When vegies are soft, add the rice. Briefly saute. Then add the seafood stock.
- Add the saffron and colorant and a pinch of salt.
- Add the seafood (except for the prawns) and stir only one more time.
- Cook the rice time according to package directions.
- Finally cover the paella pan and turn off the heat. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
- Serve the paella garnishing with some slices of lemon, big prawns and some slices of soft roasted red pepper.
Controlling moisture is the single most critical factor in achieving the characteristic firm texture of properly cooked paella rice. Pre-cooking the mussels, clams, and calamari in salted water for fifteen minutes extracts flavorful soluble proteins that double as the base broth. Discarding unnecessary additives allows home cooks to easily adapt this pescatarian dish for gluten-free requirements by verifying that the commercial seafood stock contains no hidden wheat thickeners. Substituting vegetable stock for fish broth remains an option for plant-forward diets, though it significantly reduces the oceanic depth traditionally imparted by mollusks. Fresh seafood demands immediate processing and strict temperature control below forty degrees Fahrenheit, whereas frozen equivalents require complete overnight thawing in a refrigerator to prevent uneven cooking zones in the pan. Sautéing the green peppers, garlic, and ripe tomatoes creates a foundational sofrito that must reach a thick, jammy consistency before the dry grains enter the oil. Toasting the arboreo briefly in this aromatic fat coats each starch molecule, slowing liquid absorption so the center remains al dente while the exterior softens. Stirring must cease entirely after introducing the liquids to avoid releasing excess surface starches that turn the pan contents into a sticky risotto rather than distinct grains. Covering the wide vessel at the end traps ambient steam, allowing residual heat to complete the internal cooking process during a mandatory ten-minute resting window.
