-
1
Note: To cook the paella recipe you need a paella pan or a large wide-based pan (16-20 inches wide, for 4 6 people).
-
2
1.
-
3
Soak clams in a medium bowl with 1/2 tablespoons of salt and 1 cup of water for 20 minutes to get the sand out.
-
4
Then wash clams.
-
5
Set aside.
-
6
2.
-
7
Clean, de-beard and wash mussels.
-
8
3.
-
9
Put mussels in a stock pot without water.
-
10
Heat the stock pot and wait until the majority of them have opened up (4-5 minutes).
-
11
You can reserve any liquid from the pot to add it to the fish stock.
-
12
4.
-
13
Remove 8 mussels from the shells and reserve 4 with the shell to garnish over the top of the paella.
-
14
Set both aside.
-
15
5.
-
16
Peel and chop garlic cloves.
-
17
6.
-
18
Cut chicken thighs into 2 inch chunks and sprinkle it with ground black pepper and salt.
-
19
Set aside.
-
20
7.
-
21
Heat the paella pan over medium heat with 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
-
22
When warm add the chicken thighs and for 5 minutes on each side or until golden.
-
23
Then set chicken aside.
-
24
8.
-
25
Place 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a bunch of saffron threads in a mortar.
-
26
Use a pestle to grind.
-
27
9.
-
28
Add garlic to the paella pan and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
-
29
10.
-
30
Peel and grate tomato and add it to the paella pan.
-
31
Saute for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
-
32
11.
-
33
Add squid rings and cook for 3-4 minutes.
-
34
12.
-
35
Add washed clams, shrimp, chicken thigh chunks and the mussels (the ones without the shells) and cook for 7-8 minutes.
-
36
13.
-
37
Add rice and stir for 1-2 minutes more.
-
38
14.
-
39
Add a little of the the fish stock (warm) to the mortar to dissolve the saffron mixture and then add it and the rest of the fish stock to the paella pan.
-
40
15.
-
41
Bring the paella pan to a boil then cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.
-
42
16.
-
43
Arrange the prawns, the reserved (shell on) mussels and some roasted red pepper strips over the top and cook for 13-15 minutes more.
-
44
Rice should be cooked in 18-20 minutes in total or according to your package instructions.
-
45
17.
-
46
Remove from heat and set aside for 8-10 minutes to form a crust.
-
47
18.
-
48
Serve immediately and enjoy your Spanish paella.