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Spanish Paella




Source of Recipe


My mother in law!






Recipe Introduction


While living in Spain, I had to make paella for my husband at least twice a month. Feel free to substitute different shellfish or even rabbit and chicken for the ingredients listed.





List of Ingredients



• 1 crayfish per person
  
• 1/2 lb squid
  
• 1/2 lb raw shrimp
  
• 1/2 lb mussels or scallops
  
• 1/2 lb tiny clams or 1 can chpd clams
  
• 2 artichokes
  
• 1 red bell pepper
  
• 1 onion
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 4-5 ripe plum tomatoes
  
• 1/2 c rice per person
  
• 1 good pinch saffron threads
  
• 1 tsp oregano
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• 1 qt, fish stock (or chicken stock)
  






Instructions



1. Chop squid and fry with chopped onions (and scallops, if used) in olive oil over medium flame. Remove from pan and set aside.
   
2. Fry crayfish and/or shrimp in same pan with chopped garlic. Remove and add to squid.
   
3. Lower heat and add scraped tomatoes to the oil remaining in the pan. (Use a cheese grater to scrape the meat and juice of the halved tomatoes from the skin) When you add the tomato, use a wooden spoon to loosen browned parts from pan. (yummy flavor!)
   
4. Simmer tomato over low heat.
   
5. Boil mussels and clams until they open. Remove from water, reserving water.
   
6. In a separate small frying pan, fry the sliced artichoke and pepper in butter or olive oil.
   
7. Add desired amount of rice to the simmering tomato and raise heat to medium. Add saffron, bay leaf and oregano. Stir.
   
8. Stir and fry rice for several minutes. Top the rice with veggies and shellfish and add 1 ladle of fish stock (from mussels or store bought) for each 1/2 c of rice used.
   
9. Maintain a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, adding more fish stock every few minutes as the rice dries. Simmer uncovered and avoid stirring. At the end of 20 minutes, taste and if rice still needs more time you may wish to add additional stock and cover for 5 minutes.
   
10. Serve!
    






Final Comments


If you decide to make a non-seafood paella, try using chunks of rabbit and chicken along with some Spanish chorizo, if available. My mother in law often added peas for the color.