Seafood Paella - Medium Recipe

Warm the seafood/fish stock in a small saucepan over low heat. Add saffron threads to the hot stock and let steep while you prepare other ingredients (at least 10 minutes) so the stock takes on color and aroma.

Clean and scrub clams and mussels; discard any that do not close when tapped. Pat all seafood dry with paper towels and set aside separately (monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels).

Heat a wide, shallow paella pan (or large skillet ~10–12 inch) over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat.

Add the chopped onion and diced red pepper. Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned.

Add minced garlic and smoked paprika; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the grated tomato (or crushed tomato) and cook 3–4 minutes until it reduces slightly and becomes a thick sofrito. Season with 1/2 tsp of the salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the monkfish pieces and sear 1–2 minutes per side just until they take a little color; remove and set aside on a plate.

Add the sepia and squid rings and sauté 1–2 minutes until they firm slightly; remove and set aside with the monkfish.

Add the raw shrimp and cook 30–60 seconds per side just until they start to turn pink; remove and set aside. (They will finish cooking in the rice later.)

Lower heat to medium. Add the bomba rice to the pan and stir for 1–2 minutes to coat the grains in the sofrito and oil; this toasts the rice lightly and helps it absorb flavor. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the remaining black pepper over the rice.

Pour the hot saffron-infused stock evenly over the rice. Do not stir after this point except to distribute ingredients once—paella cooks with minimal stirring to develop socarrat (crust).

Arrange the previously seared monkfish, sepia, squid, and partially cooked shrimp on top of the rice, pressing them gently into the broth so they're partially submerged. Scatter clams and mussels on top with shells closed or hinge-side down.

Bring to a steady simmer over medium-high heat. Cook uncovered at a gentle, steady simmer for 12–15 minutes. Avoid stirring; if the liquid level drops unevenly, rotate the pan over the heat so the rice cooks evenly. Add a little extra hot stock (2–3 tbs) if the top dries before the rice is tender.

During the last 3–5 minutes of cooking, reduce heat to medium-low. Check clams and mussels: they should open when cooked—discard any that remain closed. Shrimp should be fully pink and opaque; monkfish and other firm pieces should be cooked through but still tender.

If you like socarrat (a toasted crust on the bottom), increase heat briefly for 1–2 minutes at the end—listen for light crackling—but watch carefully to avoid burning.

Remove the pan from heat and loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel or foil. Let the paella rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to settle and liquid to redistribute.

Sprinkle chopped parsley over the paella, dot with spoonfuls of salsa verde (or serve salsa verde on the side), and drizzle the optional teaspoon of olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over each portion.

Transfer to plates or serve straight from the pan. Note: paella best eaten immediately for texture and aroma.