Seafood paella: clean flavours and perfectly cooked rice

The seafood should not overshadow the rice. The key is a flavourful stock, restrained presentation and adding each ingredient at the right moment.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 400 g J. Montoro extra-grade round-grain rice.
• 8 medium prawns or shrimp.
• 400 g cleaned mussels.
• 250 g purged clams.
• 300 g squid or cuttlefish, cut into small pieces.
• 200 g grated ripe tomato.
• 1.1–1.2 litres hot fish stock.
• 80 ml olive oil.
• Saffron, salt and optional parsley.

Making a simple stock

Open the mussels with a little water, strain the liquid carefully and set it aside. Combine it with a mild fish stock. The stock should taste of the sea without being overly salty or concentrated.

Step-by-step preparation

1. Sear the prawns. Heat the oil and briefly cook the prawns on both sides. Remove them before they dry out. Steam the mussels beforehand in a covered pot with a little water, then reserve them for the final stage.
2. Sauté the squid. Add the squid or cuttlefish and cook until it releases its water and starts to brown. Add the grated tomato and reduce it to a concentrated sofrito.
3. Add the rice. Spread the rice in the paella pan and stir it into the sofrito for one minute. Pour in the hot stock with the saffron and distribute the grains in a thin layer.
4. Cook without stirring. Cook over high heat for 7–8 minutes, then lower the heat for another 8–10 minutes. Check the rice; the total of 15–20 minutes is only a guide. Do not stir. Watch the evaporation and rotate the pan if the burner heats it unevenly.
5. Finish with the seafood. Add the clams during the second half of cooking and check that they open. Add the already opened mussels during the last few minutes. Return the prawns for the final 3–4 minutes to warm them without making them tough.
6. Rest. Turn off the heat when the rice is cooked and the stock has been absorbed. Rest for about 3 minutes and, if you like, finish with a little parsley before serving.

Common mistakes

An overly salty stock becomes more concentrated as it evaporates. A thick layer cooks unevenly. Too much seafood makes the rice harder to distribute and can dominate the dish. Stirring after adding the stock produces something closer to creamy rice than a dry paella.