Name: PAELLA with Seafood & Spanish Chorizo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3-4 tbsp olive oil; 100 g gluten-free smoked Spanish chorizo, sliced * (Leave out if a low-fat paella is preferred); 1 onion, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 red pepper, chopped or sliced; 5 mushrooms, sliced; 200 g paella rice, washed and drained; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 3 strands saffron threads, crumbled and soaked in a teaspoon of ice-cold water; 110 ml dry white wine; 500-600 ml store-bought or homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock; 2 calamari hoods, sliced into rings; 100 g prawns, green or pink, peeled or unpeeled; 100 g frozen green beans or peas, defrosted; ½ lemon, juiced; 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely; 100 g mussels with shells, scrubbed & washed (optional); sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste; 1 lemon, cut in wedges, to serve

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PAELLA with Seafood and Spanish Chorizo – a speedy one-pan meal

Paella is a versatile Spanish rice dish that is great to serve at gatherings or to add to a tapas evening. Not only do all the seafood, meat and vegetables look spectacular, but every spoonful is also a magnificent combination of flavours and textures.

Originating from Valencia, paella got its name from the actual pan used, incidentally called paella in Spanish.

The recipe I am sharing with you is for a standard Spanish paella, although nothing is stopping you from adding extra ingredients like fresh mussels, chicken, ham, octopus or legumes. This paella is perfect for vegetarians once you leave out the meat and add your favourite vegetables and some legumes for protein.

Key Ingredients for Paella

CHORIZO

Chorizo in Spanish means sausage. There are two types of chorizo: dried and fresh. Dried chorizo is cured using cooked pork and smoked paprika, originating from Spain and used for paella and other national dishes. Whereas fresh chorizo is uncured and raw, used mainly in South America to barbecue/grill. As Spanish chorizo is starting to appear in many other dishes besides Paella, it seems to be readily available in most supermarkets, plus most are gluten-free (double-check the packaging). Failing that, ask your local delicatessen, where they may have some to slice up for you. Don’t forget to ask if it is gluten-free!

SMOKED PAPRIKA

Known as Piementón de la Vera, smoked paprika is the main seasoning used to give the paella its typical Spanish flavour. Although the chorizo already has paprika, a little extra goes a long way.

Two widely available and popular smoked paprika (Piementón de la Vera) brands are La Chinata – and Las Hermanas, which also have an organic range.

SAFFRON

This powerful ingredient gives the rice the typical yellow colour paella is known for. Saffron is expensive but as only a few threads are used at a time, it is worth the purchase. To prepare saffron, crumble it first with your fingers (use plastic gloves as the saffron temporarily stains) and leave it to soak in ice-cold water. The cold temperature gently eases out the flavour and colour, rather than using warm water.

PAELLA RICE

Paella rice is exported worldwide mainly from Spain and sold in International supermarkets or delicatessens. I don’t have a photo of the packet, but here is an unaffiliated link to the Spanish producers illustrating the packets of rice: http://arroztomas.es/en/cebolla/

About the Paella Pan

A paella pan is a very wide, completely flat pan with a thin base. The wide surface allows the paella to cook through a thin layer and create a perfect layer of a crispy base (known in Spain as socarrat), juicy middle and a glorious topping of seafood and vegetables. Most well-stocked kitchen supply stores will have them on sale, otherwise, try Amazon or remember to pick one up next time you visit Spain!

An adobe photo of Paella in a paella pan

spanish paella dish in the paella pan ready to be served

PAELLA with Seafood & Spanish Chorizo

by Sandra - Fun Without Gluten

Paella is a versatile Spanish fried rice dish with seafood, meat, smoked chorizo and plenty of vegetables. A colourful, wholesome and delicious meal that can be prepared in under an hour using one large pan only.

Traditionally, paella is prepared in a Spanish paella pan, which is a very wide, completely flat pan with a thin base. Alternatively, using a large flat pan will do the trick, however, if it is a heavy-based pan, crank up the heat slightly to give it a nice sizzle.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Main Course, Party Food

Cuisine Spanish

Servings

Equipment

Spanish Paella pan, or
Large heavy-bottom frying pan

Ingredients

3-4 tbsp olive oil
100 g gluten-free smoked Spanish chorizo, sliced * (Leave out if a low-fat paella is preferred)
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 red pepper, chopped or sliced
5 mushrooms, sliced
200 g paella rice, washed and drained
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 strands saffron threads, crumbled and soaked in a teaspoon of ice-cold water
110 ml dry white wine
500-600 ml store-bought or homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 calamari hoods, sliced into rings
100 g prawns, green or pink, peeled or unpeeled
100 g frozen green beans or peas, defrosted
½ lemon, juiced
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
100 g mussels with shells, scrubbed & washed (optional)
sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 lemon, cut in wedges, to serve

Instructions

Crumble the saffron strands and sprinkle them into the cold water. Set aside to soak.
Prepare and measure the rest of the paella ingredients before heating the paella pan.
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in the paella pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo slices and fry on both sides until seared and crisp.
Add the onions, fry for 2 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, mushrooms, red peppers and smoked paprika with the onions for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, together with half of the prawns and calamari rings, stir well, then add the tomato paste.
Pour in the wine. Allow the wine to evaporate slightly.
Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, the saffron water and saffron strands. Stir well.
When the liquid is bubbling, throw in all the rice. Once the rice is in the pan, it is important not to move it, so that it cooks evenly and gets that crispy (but not burnt) bottom layer.
Add the green beans or peas and place the remaining prawns and calamari rings on top of the rice.
Pour the lemon juice over the rice and seafood. Add some parsley and seasoning. Leave to cook uncovered over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes.
Lower the heat and cook for a further 10 to 12 minutes. Don’t be tempted to stir the paella. Instead, shift the pan every few minutes, moving it around and back to the centre of the heat. This ensures even cooking.
If using mussels, add these at the end of cooking, covering the pan to create steam. Cook until the mussel shells open. Discard any that remain closed.
Serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges, extra parsley and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.