Frozen Seafood Paella

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish using a variety of things including rabbit, pork, sausage, chicken and snails mixed with a variety of seafood’s. There is no one set of rules to what you add and in this one we are using 100% seafood. Try different shellfish, crayfish or smoked seafood to add another flavour. Serves 6 people.
 
Supplied frozen pre packaged paella seafood ingredients:
800g whole prawns
3 Squid tubes
500g White fish
1 kg 1/2 shell mussels
1 kg cockles

Click here to buy the Seafood Paella Pack >>

Serves 6 people

Ingredients:

1 ½ C  Calasparra or Abborio rice
1   Small Onion
3  Tomatoes ( Ripe )
1   Red pepper
1   Green pepper
2 cloves  Garlic
2 Tblsp Flat leaf parsley
Pinch  Saffron thread
1/2 tsp  Smoked paprika
18 Whole prawns or Cutlets
500g Firm white fish (Bluenose)
3  Squid tubes cleaned and sliced into thick rings
18  Half shell mussels
18  Frozen clams
4C  Fish stock
4 Tblsp Olive oil
 
Method:

Stage 1
Make a Sofrito  (Spanish onion and tomato sauce) by sautéing diced onions and garlic in 2 Tblsp of olive oil until glassy, blanch tomatoes and peel, grate flesh to make puree and add to onion mix with smoked paprika. Leave to reduce until it is a thick consistency much like jam. Approx 20mins / Set aside.  

Stage 2
In Paella pan or large frying pan add 2 tblsp olive oil, sauté peeled and de-veined prawns until a little under cooked (this will give the pan a little more flavour to coat the rice), put to one side, add in peppers and saute for 3 mins.

Stage 3
Add the rice to the pepper and coat all the grains, lightly toasting. Much like risotto slowly add boiling fish stock to the rice in the pan stirring all the time, add saffron, salt and Sofrito and simmer for 15 mins while stirring.

Stage 4
Frozen mussels and clams can be added, continue to simmer for a further 5 mins.  Add back the prawns with the squid and diced white fish, evenly placing them around the pan, cover and simmer for a further 10 mins without stirring. Rest for a further few minutes and serve with parsley and lemon wedges in the pan.

Note: Mussels, Clams can be added to the dish frozen, if using defrosted add it along with the other seafood so as not to over cook.  Squid, prawns and bluenose will need to be defrosted and prepped.
 
Fish Stock

2-1/2 cups cold water
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped
5 black peppercorns
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 whole cloves
strip lemon rind
500g Fish frames and trimmings
 
Method:
Wash fish bones and add to pot with everything else. Simmer for 20 mins (No longer).
Skim and strain.  Note: do not use salmon or mackerel for stock as it is too strong.
 
Recipe supplied by Adrian Hill.