Step-by-step seafood paella

Fresh seafood, saffron and earthy paprika are the key ingredients in this traditional Spanish dish.

Serves 4

You will need

½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
½ tsp saffron threads
1 tbs olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, seeded, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large ripe tomato, halved, seeded, finely chopped
2 tsp mild Spanish paprika
1 cup (200g) medium grain rice (such as calrose)
2 cups (500ml) chicken or seafood stock
12 (about 1kg) green king prawns, peeled, cleaned leaving heads and tails intact
2 squid hoods, cleaned, cut into 1cm-thick rings
12 (about 1kg) black mussels, scrubbed, debearded
1kg clams
1 cup (150g) frozen peas
¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges, to serve

1. Combine wine and saffron in a pan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the saffron to infuse. 
2. Heat the oil in a large paella or large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, capsicum and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. 
3. Add the tomato and paprika and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the rice, stock and wine mixture and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until rice is almost tender. 
4. Add prawns, squid, mussels and clams and push lightly into the rice mixture. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the peas and cook, covered, for a further 2-3 minutes or until prawns change colour and mussels and clams open.
5. Remove from heat. Discard any unopened mussels and clams. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Perfect paella

• Paella originated in Valencia, Spain as a one-pan peasant dish made with a little bit of everything that was on hand.
• Traditionally prepared in an iron paella pan, this dish needs to be cooked on a large, flat base, as the ingredients need to be in a single layer to cook evenly.
• According to custom, paella is made on a Sunday and served at the table straight from the pan.
• Paella is made with a medium grain rice such as Calasparra or calrose. Arborio rice can be used as an alternative.
• For a variation of this dish, replace the seafood with diced chicken thighs and sliced chorizo sausage. Cook in batches at the beginning of step 2 and set aside. Return to the pan in step 4.

 

 

Recipe & food preparation: Sarah Hobbs. Photography: Ben Dearnley. Styling: Amber Keller.