Traditional Spanish seafood rice is characterized by its soft yet slightly crispy texture, with a mix of tender and crunchy rice grains. Typically cooked to about 5 or 7 minutes, resembling our al dente rice, it offers a spoonful of satisfaction with the unique fragrance of saffron-infused, crumbly rice and a rich seafood flavor that encapsulates the essence of paella.
But, I’ll stick with fully cooked rice…hehe.
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Scallops: 8
- Clams: 6
- Cuttlefish (Squid): 1
- Squid: 1
- Shrimp: 10
- Chicken broth
- Tomatoes (or tomato sauce): 3-4
- Saffron: A little
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Onion: Half
- Green and red chili peppers: 1 each
- Olive oil: 20g
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Lemon: 1
- Dry white wine (or white wine)
Instructions:
- Blend the tomatoes in a food processor, then sauté them with a bit of olive oil and minced garlic until reduced. If using tomato sauce, skip the sautéing step.
- Shell and devein half of the shrimp, make a few cuts on the belly of each. Cut the squid into rings. Prepare the cuttlefish by cleaning it thoroughly. Dice the chili peppers, onions, and garlic.
- Cook the scallops and clams in a pot with dry white wine until they open. Blanch the squid briefly.
- In a skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil. Fry the shrimp shells and heads, then add chicken broth. Remove the shrimp shells afterward.
- In a flat pan, add a bit of olive oil. Sauté the onion, followed by the chili peppers. Mix in the previously sautéed tomato mixture and stir. Add the cuttlefish and continue stirring.
- Add the rice and stir. Pour in a bit of dry white wine, stir until it evaporates, and then add chicken broth, the juice from cooking the scallops and clams, salt, saffron, and black pepper. Shake the pan, bring it to a medium boil, and cook until the liquid is almost gone.
- Arrange the squid rings, clams, scallops, and shrimp on top. Continue cooking until the liquid is fully absorbed. Squeeze some lemon juice on top before serving. Enjoy!
