341 – Homemade Seafood Paella / الاطعمة البحرية الباييلا

Ingredients :

• Olive oil
• 4 whole large shrimps or prawns
• 1 pound (450 grams) calamari pieces
• 10 large shrimps (cleaned)
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes
• 1/2 medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (400 grams) short grain rice (unwashed)
• 5 1/2 cups (1.3 liters) Fish stock
• Large pinch of saffron
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 10 clams or mussels

Directions :

Step 1: Preparing the Ingredients
1- Prepare the fish stock – click to see the recipe for homemade fish stock. You can also use store bought fish stock.
2- Peel the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into quarters then smash the pieces by placing a large kitchen knife on top of them and pushing down with the paml of your hand. Cut the smashed tomatoes into small pieces.
3- Chop the onion
4- In a15 inch paella pan or deep large skillet, heat some olive oil. Place the prawns in the oil and cook for a few seconds on both sides and remove from skillet as soon as they change color to pink. Keep these praws on the side for later.
5- If you are using fresh whole calamari, then clean it and cut it into pieces.

Step 2: Cooking the Fish First
1- In the same skillet where you cooked the prawns, add the fresh calamari pieces and the cleaned shrimps.
2- Cook for 1-2 minutes just enough for them to start changing color to pinkish.
3- Push the calamari and shrimp to the sides of the pan and place the crushed tomato pieces in the center, the chopped onion, and garlic. Let it cook in the middle for the pan for 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: Cooking the Paella
1- Add paprika to the skillet and mix all the ingredients together.
2- Add the uncooked rice to the fish mixture. Mix well.
3- Add the fish broth. The brough should be enough to cover all the ingredients in the pot and go 1 inch higher above them.
4- Crush the pinch of saffron into the broth. Add salt and turmeric.
5- Do not cover the pan, increase the heat to high, and cook until the water starts boiling (around 5 minutes). This will help create the crispy rice layer at the bottom of the paella, called socarrat. At this point the rice is half cooked.
6- Place the partially cooked shrimps on top of the rice. Also add the mussels around the paella into the rice. At this point if you see that the rice is too dry, add a little bit of broth (around 1/4 cup) just to have enough liquid to continue cooking the rice and the mussels.
7- Uncover the pan, and let the paella cook on medium heat, for 15-20 minutes until the rice is done.

Step 4: Final Steps
1- Taste the rice, it should be almost done.
2- Turn off the heat, cover the pot with a kitchen towel, and let the rice steam for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Bon Appetit!