Paella Making Class Recipe

Saffron

Place saffron threads in a small bowl and pour 2 tablespoons hot water over them to bloom while you prepare other ingredients (5–10 minutes).

Rinse rice briefly under cold water until water runs mostly clear. Drain and set aside. Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Clean mussels, discarding any open that do not close when tapped.

Heat a wide, shallow paella pan (about 14"–16") or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When shimmering, add chicken pieces in a single layer and sear until golden, 5–6 minutes, turning once. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add sliced chorizo to the pan and cook 2–3 minutes until it releases oil and begins to brown. Transfer with the chicken. If you are not using chorizo, add another tablespoon oil to the pan.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add diced onion and cook gently until translucent, 5–7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in grated tomatoes and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Cook mixture, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and most liquid evaporates, about 8–10 minutes. Season lightly with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Push sofrito to one side, return chicken and chorizo to the pan and spread evenly. Pour in white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Allow wine to reduce for 1–2 minutes.

Sprinkle the rice evenly across the pan (do not stir after this point). Pour hot chicken stock evenly over the rice. Add the saffron with its soaking liquid and the bay leaf. Taste the broth and adjust salt — you should aim for slightly salty because rice will absorb liquid.

Bring the pan to a steady simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle even simmer. Cook uncovered without stirring for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan occasionally on the burner so it cooks evenly.

After 15 minutes, scatter shrimp, mussels (placing hinge-side down), and peas over the rice. Press proteins slightly into the rice. Do not stir. Continue to cook for another 8–10 minutes until most liquid is absorbed and mussels have opened and shrimp are opaque.

If at any point the surface is drying out before the rice is cooked, add up to 1/2 cup additional hot stock in small increments. Goal is fully cooked rice with a thin crust (socarrat) forming on the bottom but not burned.

When rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, remove pan from heat. Cover loosely with a large kitchen towel or aluminum foil and let rest 8–10 minutes to finish steaming.

Discard the bay leaf. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top, sprinkle chopped parsley and an extra pinch of smoked paprika. Arrange lemon wedges around the pan.

Serve straight from the pan at the table. Encourage guests to squeeze lemon over their portions. Note: any mussels that did not open should be discarded.