One of my favorite dishes is Seafood Paella. I was shocked at how simple it is to do at home. It was better than any paella I've had a at a restaurant!
Seafood Paella
Serves 4-6
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Salt
½ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Red Bell Peppers, ½ inch diced
1 pound Bay Scallops
1 pound Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined (reserve shells for saffron – shrimp stock - see recipe below)
½ cup Spanish Chorizo pork sausage, cut into medium dice
12 Black Mussels, cleaned and rinsed, beard removed
1 pound Fresh Mahi Mahi, cut into 1” pieces
4 ½ Cups Saffron – Shrimp Stock (see recipe below)
2 cups Short Grain Rice
½ cup Green Peas, cooked
1 cup Roma Tomatoes, ½ “ diced
1.Heat the oil in a large heavy casserole pan then add the bell peppers. Add the scallops, shrimp, chorizo and sear until the seafood looses its raw appearance.
2.Then add the mussels, fresh fish and saffron – shrimp stock and bring the stock to a simmer. Add the rice, green peas and tomatoes and using a cook’s spoon stir the rice gently to mix evenly with the rest of the ingredients. Reduce heat to a simmer and top the casserole pan with a lid. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. While the rice is cooking remove the lid to stir the ingredients from time to time to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Shrimp Stock
Yield 4 ½ cups
1 Tbsp olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, minced
¼ cup Carrots, diced ½ inch
¼ cup Celery, diced ½ inch
2 cups Shrimp Shells, from the peeled shrimp
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 tsp Saffron
5 cups Water
2 Bay Leaves
5 Peppercorns
1.Heat the oil in a medium sized pot, then add the garlic, carrots, celery and shrimp shells. Sauté until the vegetables loose their raw appearance and the shrimp shells turn red in color. Add the tomato paste and while constantly stirring with a cook's spoon sauté for 30 seconds.
2.Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to simmer for 20 minutes.
3.Strain the stock trough a fine mesh sieve.