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Paella With Seafood Recipe

Name: Dallul East African Cuisines Paella With Seafood Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced; 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced; 4 clove large garlic cloves, minced; 1 medium ripe tomato, grated (or 1/2 cup canned crushed tomato); 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón); 1 tsp sweet paprika; 2 cups short-grain paella rice (bomba or arborio); 4.5 cups good-quality chicken or seafood stock, hot; 0.25 tsp saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 tbs hot stock; 0.5 cup dry white wine; 1.5 tsp sea salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 12 piece large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on optional); 8 piece medium sea scallops, patted dry; 1 lb mussels, cleaned and debearded; 1 cup calamari rings (or squid), cleaned; 4 oz chorizo (Spanish), sliced (optional); 0.5 cup frozen peas, thawed; 1 piece lemon, cut into wedges; 2 tbs flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 1 tbs unsalted butter; 1 tsp olive oil for drizzling

Inspired by Dallul East African Cuisine

Time1h

Serves4

Make Paella With Seafood Recipe in just 1h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Sofrito & aromatics

3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 clove large garlic cloves, minced

1 medium ripe tomato, grated (or 1/2 cup canned crushed tomato)

1 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón)

1 tsp sweet paprika

Rice & seasoning

2 cups short-grain paella rice (bomba or arborio)

4 1/2 cups good-quality chicken or seafood stock, hot

1/4 tsp saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 tbs hot stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Seafood & proteins

12 piece large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on optional)

8 piece medium sea scallops, patted dry

1 lb mussels, cleaned and debearded

1 cup calamari rings (or squid), cleaned

4 oz chorizo (Spanish), sliced (optional)

Vegetables & garnish

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 piece lemon, cut into wedges

2 tbs flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Finishing

1 tbs Unsalted butter

1 tsp olive oil for drizzling

Method

Sofrito & aromatics

Heat a wide, shallow paella pan (or large skillet) over medium heat. Add 3 tbs olive oil. When oil shimmers, add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in grated tomato (or crushed tomato) and both paprikas. Cook the sofrito 4–5 minutes until it reduces slightly and the flavors concentrate. Season lightly with a pinch of salt.

Rice & seasoning

Push the sofrito mixture to an even bed across the pan. Add the rice and stir for 1–2 minutes to coat grains in oil and toast lightly; this helps develop flavor and prevents clumping.

Pour in the white wine and allow it to bubble and reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

Add the hot stock, including the 2 tbs used to steep the crushed saffron threads, then sprinkle in the saffron infusion. Stir once to distribute rice evenly, then stop stirring for the remainder of cooking so a socarrat (crispy bottom) can form. Season with 1.5 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Bring to a steady simmer over medium-high heat. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Cook uncovered for 10 minutes without stirring.

Seafood & proteins

Arrange and cook seafood

After the initial 10 minutes, tuck the sausages (if using) into the rice so their juices flavor the dish. Arrange shrimp, scallops, calamari rings, and mussels on top of the rice in an even layer. Do not stir. Scatter the peas over the top.

Cover the pan loosely with foil or a lid and continue to simmer gently for another 8–10 minutes, until rice is just tender, shrimp are pink and opaque, scallops are cooked through, and mussels have opened (discard any that remain closed). If the liquid is absorbed too quickly and rice is still undercooked, add up to 1/2 cup more hot stock and continue cooking.

Finishing & garnish

When rice is cooked and seafood done, remove the pan from heat. Dot the top with 1 tbs butter and drizzle 1 tsp olive oil; cover again and let rest 5 minutes to meld flavors.

Sprinkle chopped parsley and arrange lemon wedges around the pan. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. If you like a deeper socarrat (crispy bottom), return pan to medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes before resting, listening carefully so it doesn't burn.

Serve

Serve the paella directly from the pan, encouraging diners to squeeze lemon over their portions. Provide extra lemon wedges at the table.