Lola’s Paella

Ingredients

• 3 large tomatoes grated without peel
• 1 squid per person, sliced about 1cm
• 1 or 2 mussels per person
• 1 chicken breast, shredded
• 4 cups/1L of fish broth/stock
• 1.5 cups uncooked aborio rice
• 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 or 2 raw prawns per person
• 2 small onions, finely diced
• 1/2 red capsicum
• 1 green pepper, finely diced
• 4 to 6 saffron threads or saffron powder
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Method

Start heating the fish broth/stock in a separate pot as it needs to be hot when added to the rice.

Heat the oil in the Paella pan or in a large pan, on high heat. Cook the seafood and the chicken for just a minute or two on each side; this will perfume the oil.

Remove the meat and seafood and set aside in a bowl.

Turn the heat down to medium heat and add the onion and cook until well caramelized.

Next, put in the green and red peppers and let them caramelize with the onions for a few minutes. Once they are browned, add the garlic.

Make space in the center of the pan and fry the saffron threads.

Add the grated tomatoes and let them cook for a while until no liquid from the tomatoes remains in the pan.

Make space in the center again and add the rice, coating it with some oil. Let it crisp and when you have all the rice coated and browning, mix together with the remaining ingredients.

Pour in the fish broth and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking for about 12 minutes, or until the liquid is nearly absorbed by the rice, but you still have some remaining.

Add the seafood and the chicken, making a circle around the paella, and cook it for 5 minutes more (mussels generally open after about 3 minutes). Don’t be afraid of crust, it’s the best!

Recipes and Images by Lola Migliore.