Today we are sharing an easy way to prepare a true delicacy: our suggestion for lunch is a simple seafood paella. Let’s get to the recipe!
Ingredients for Simple Seafood Paella:
- 3.5 cups (approx. 750g) short-grain or Bomba rice;
- 1 yellow onion, diced;
- 1 red bell pepper, diced;
- Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste;
- 3 cloves garlic, minced;
- 2 tomatoes, chopped;
- 1 tbsp tomato paste;
- 2/3 cup (80g) frozen peas;
- 10 oz (300g) small shrimp, peeled and deveined;
- Salt, black pepper, paprika, and saffron, to taste;
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) seafood stock;
- A handful of mussels, cleaned;
- 6 jumbo shrimp (for garnish);
- Lemon wedges, for serving.
How to Make Simple Seafood Paella:
- In a large paella pan or wide skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and sauté until translucent.
- Remove the onions from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- In the same pan, adding a little more oil if needed, sear the small shrimp for about 2 minutes. Remove and add to the plate with the onions.
- Season the jumbo shrimp with salt and pepper, then sear them for 1 minute on each side. Remove and set aside.
- Add the diced bell pepper to the pan and sauté until softened.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Let it simmer until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Pour in the seafood stock and add your spices (saffron and paprika). Bring to a boil.
- Add the rice, stirring well to ensure it is evenly distributed.
- Stir in the peas and the small cooked shrimp.
- Cook without stirring until the rice absorbs most of the liquid.
- When the liquid has almost evaporated, arrange the jumbo shrimp and mussels on top.
- Garnish with lemon wedges.
- Once the rice is tender, turn off the heat and cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Did you know?
Originally, paella was a humble farmer’s meal made with ingredients available in the field: rabbit, chicken, or duck; vegetables (various types of beans and tomatoes), olive oil, water, saffron, snails, and salt. Over time, it evolved into a restaurant staple featuring diverse types of seafood, including lobster and prawns.
As the dish traveled the world, many variations were created that differed significantly from the original. To protect the dish’s integrity, Valencian chefs and restaurant associations worked to establish an official recipe for “Paella Valenciana” to distinguish it from other interpretations.
In Brazil, it is most commonly prepared with a delicious mix of seafood (Source: Wikipedia).
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