Seafood Paella - Friday, Week 18

Bring the flavors of Spain to your dinner table with this authentic Seafood Paella. Loaded with a variety of seafood and aromatic spices, it's a feast for the eyes and taste buds alike.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 150 g)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 200 g)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) Arborio or short-grain rice
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) paprika
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) saffron threads
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cayenne pepper
• 4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup (200 g) canned diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
• 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 200 g)
• 1/2 lb (225 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1/2 lb (225 g) clams, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup (60 g) frozen peas, thawed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, for garnish
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large paella pan or wide, shallow skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute.

2. Stir in the rice, paprika, saffron, and cayenne pepper, ensuring the rice is well coated with the spices. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, and white wine, then season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes, without stirring.

4. Arrange the shrimp, mussels, and clams on top of the rice, pushing them down slightly into the rice mixture. Cover the pan and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender, the seafood is cooked through, and the mussels and clams have opened. Discard any unopened shells.

5. Sprinkle the peas over the paella and cook for another 2 minutes, until heated through.

6. Garnish the paella with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.