Catalan Seafood Paella

Our friend and importer from Spain recently treated us to a wonderful Paella feast. This is his mother’s recipe, the real deal, using the finest ingredients Spain has to offer. Essencia Arbequina Olive Oil is the winner of the National Arbequina Contest. And wait until you taste the smokey, delicious peppers. The saffron is the best we have ever encountered (and after living in the Middle East, this is a big compliment). Make this with authentic Spanish ingredients for a magnificent experience in Iberian cuisine. You can purchase all these perfect ingredients in our own Paella Kit right here.

Ingredients

For the Paella:
8 Shrimps
½ Lb of Monk Fish
8 Clams
16 Mussels
3 fresh leeks, white and tender parts only
2 Spanish Artichoke Hearts
1 Piquillo Pepper
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 Large Tomato, hand crushed
4 cups short grain Bomba Rice from Delta Del Ebro
6 cups homemade stock, warm – See instructions below
Essencia 100% Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt from the Mediterranean

Ingredients for the stock:
Head of Fish, blue fish preferable, but any other OK.
1 fresh or high quality Bay Leaf
1/8 gr. Spanish Saffron
8 mussels
7 cups of water
2 tablespoons of sea salt

Preparation

For the Paella:
1. Add a one to two tablespoons of Essencia Olive Oil to the pan. Sauté the artichoke hearts (cut in eighths), leeks (white tender part only cut in strips), piquillo pepper (cut in strips), Reserve.
2. Make a “sofregit” by sautéing the onions; cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat. Then, add tomatoes and cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld.
3. Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Add some salt, after 2 or three minutes stop stirring. No more stirring from now on.
4. Place the leeks, artichoke and pepper in the pan as shown in the picture.
5. Pour in the stock and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add the monk fish, shrimp, mussels and clams as shown in the picture and continue cooking for 8 more minutes.
Paella is ready to serve.

Instructions for the Stock:
1. Boil the water with the head fish, bay leaf and mussels for 20 minutes
2. Remove the fish, mussels and laurel, and reserve the stock
3. Add the saffron and salt to the stock
4. Keep warm

Special Equipment:
Large paella pan or wide shallow skillet.

Serves 4 hungry people