Seafood Rice Recipe

Rinse rice

Rinse 2 cups rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch. Drain well.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or deep skillet with a lid, heat 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter over medium heat until shimmering and butter is melted.

Add the drained rice and stir to coat the grains in oil/butter. Sauté rice for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the rice becomes slightly translucent at the edges.

Add 4 cups warmed seafood or chicken stock, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes (or according to package directions) until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and keep covered. Discard the bay leaf before serving or when combining with seafood.

While rice cooks, heat 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or wide sauté pan over medium heat.

Add 1 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup red bell pepper, and 1/2 cup diced celery. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize.

Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and tomato paste darkens slightly.

If using, pour 1/4 cup dry white wine into the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until wine has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Stir in 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.

Pat all seafood dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Increase heat under the skillet to medium-high. Add seafood in stages: add firm fish pieces first and sear for 1–2 minutes per side until opaque around the edges but not fully cooked through.

Add the shrimp and scallops, sautéing for about 1–2 minutes; add calamari rings last and cook 1 minute. Seafood will finish cooking when combined with rice to avoid overcooking. Squeeze half the lemon over the seafood while it's cooking.

If the pan looks dry, add up to 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved warm stock to keep the mixture moist and create a bit of sauce.

When rice is cooked and seafood is mostly opaque, remove the bay leaf from the rice. Spoon the rice into the skillet with the seafood (or pour the seafood mixture into the rice pot) and gently fold together until evenly combined. If needed, add up to 1/2 cup warm stock to loosen the mixture and coat the grains.

Stir in 1 tsp fish sauce or soy sauce (optional) and 1 tsp lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more lemon as desired.

Turn heat to low and cover for 2–3 minutes to let flavors meld and ensure seafood finishes cooking through (internal temperature of shrimp should be 120–140°F / shrimp opaque and firm).

Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and the juice of the remaining half lemon. Let rest 2 minutes.

Serve hot, spooning the seafood rice onto plates or a shallow bowl. Garnish with additional parsley and a lemon wedge, if desired.