Confirmed as Spain’s best-loved contribution to world cuisine by its elevation to the emoji canon in 2016, the subsequent controversy over the virtual paella’s ingredients sums up the fierce pride Valencianos take in their famous rice dish. Although in time, prawns and peas were substituted for the original chicken and beans, in truth, as chef Llorenç Millo puts it, “Paella has as many recipes as there are villages, and nearly as many as there are cooks.” This seafood one is mine.
Prep 15 min Cook 1 hr 20 min (inc stock and rest) Serves 2-4, depending on hunger
1 big pinch saffron 4 raw, unshelled tiger prawns 90ml olive oil 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 500ml good-quality fish stock 150g sustainably sourced monkfish 1 onion, peeled and finely diced 1 tsp smoked paprika 200g chopped tomatoes 50ml dry white wine 150g baby squid, cut into thick rings 200g calasparra, bomba or other short-grain rice 150g podded broad beans, fresh or frozen, or sliced runner beans 150g mussels, scrubbed 1 handful chopped flat-leaf parsley ½ lemon, cut into wedges
Put the saffron in a small bowl with a tablespoon of hot water and leave to soak. Shell the prawns and put the flesh back in the fridge while you use the shells to make a stock. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over a medium-low flame, then fry a clove of chopped garlic for a couple of minutes.
Add the prawn heads and tails to the pan and cook, stirring to break them up, for about three minutes, until well coloured, then pour in the fish stock, turn up the heat a little and bring to just below a boil. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, then strain the stock, discard the shells, return the liquid to the pan and season to taste. Keep warm.
Pour the remaining oil into a 26cm paella pan (easily available online) or a wide, thin-based pan of roughly the same size and set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, cut the monkfish into chunks and fry, turning regularly, until lightly golden, then scoop out with a slotted spoon, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible, and set aside.
Turn down the heat to medium-low, then fry the onion and the rest of the garlic, stirring often, until the onion is soft and golden; take care the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in the paprika and cook for a minute or so until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and wine to the pan.
Turn up the heat, add the wine and bring to a simmer. Bubble vigorously for 10 minutes, until slightly reduced, then add the squid, rice and broad beans (there’s no need to shell the beans unless you have a real aversion to the outer skins). Stir well until all the grains are coated with liquid and the rice sits in an even layer.
Pour in 400ml of the warm prawn stock plus the saffron and its soaking water. Stir, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes without any further stirring, then arrange the monkfish, mussels and peeled prawn on top of the rice, pushing them down well into it but otherwise leaving it undisturbed.
Continue cooking, still without stirring, for about eight minutes, keeping a wary eye on the pan – if it begins to look very dry before the rice has cooked through completely, then add the rest of the warm prawn stock, bearing in mind the finished dish shouldn’t be at all soupy or wet: indeed, there should be a crunchy crust on the bottom.
Cover the pan with foil, turn off the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes (paella tastes better warm than hot). Remove the foil and garnish with chopped parsley and wedges of lemon. Paella is also sometimes served with aioli (traditionally made with just garlic, olive oil and salt), though good garlic mayo would also work well.
If seafood doesn’t float your boat, swap the prawn stock for a good chicken one and saute chunks of chicken and/or rabbit (ideally bone-in) in place of the monkfish; or use a meat-free stock and veg of your choice instead. For inspiration, see Alberto Herraiz’s book Paella, which features 108 recipes, from Mallorcan “dirty” rice to sweet dessert paellas.
The Guardian
