Mains
Spanish
SpanishSeafood Paella
Spain's iconic saffron rice dish shown three ways. The basic tier leans on frozen seafood mix and stock cubes, while the ultimate builds a proper homemade shellfish stock with fresh langoustines and a sofrito base.
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Contains alcohol
Ultimate version
Homemade shellfish stock, fresh langoustines, clams and a white wine sofrito.
Per serving£8.00
Total cost£32.00
Time1 hr 35 min
Ingredients for 4
- 320 g bomba paella rice
- Seafood
- 6 whole langoustines
- 250 g fresh clams , purged in salted water
- 300 g fresh mussels , cleaned and debearded
- 200 g raw shell-on king prawns
- Sofrito
- 1 pinch saffron threads , the good stuff, lightly toasted
- 1 onion , finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 roasted red pepper , finely chopped
- 4 ripe tomatoes , grated, skins discarded
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- To serve
- 1 lemon , cut into wedges
Method
- Peel the prawns and reserve the shells. Fry the shells and langoustine trimmings in a little oil, cover with 1.2 litres water, simmer 25 minutes, then strain to make a deep shellfish stock and keep hot.
- In a paella pan, slowly cook the onion, garlic and red pepper in the olive oil for 10 minutes, then add the grated tomato, toasted saffron and wine and reduce to a thick, jammy sofrito.
- Stir the rice through the sofrito to coat, then ladle in the hot shellfish stock and season. Simmer over an even heat for 12 minutes without stirring.
- Arrange the langoustines, prawns, clams and mussels over the rice and cook a further 10-12 minutes until the shellfish open and a socarrat crust forms beneath.
- Turn the heat to high for the final minute to deepen the crust, then rest under a cloth for 5 minutes.
- Discard any shellfish that stayed closed and serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges.
Equipment
- paella pan
- stockpot
- fine sieve
The three ways, side by side
Budget
Frozen seafood mix, turmeric for colour and a stock cube base.
Better
Real saffron, fresh prawns and mussels with a chorizo-paprika base.
Ultimate
Homemade shellfish stock, fresh langoustines, clams and a white wine sofrito.
