You are here:

Paella

Gioconda Scott from Gioconda Scott's Paradise Kitchen
Delight your guests with Gioconda Scott's recipe for a classic Spanish rice and seafood dish - a real treat

Paella

Method

1. First make the fish stock. Put the fish bones and peeled prawn shells in a large saucepan. Cover with 1.5 litres of water and add the peppercorns, one chopped carrot, the celery and one chopped onion.

2. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the fish stock and set aside.

3. Pour enough Manzanilla sherry into a medium saucepan to cover the base. Bring to the boil, add the clams and cover the saucepan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the clams have steamed open - discard any which have not opened by this stage.

4. Remove the opened clams with a slotted spoon and set aside. Shell half the clams, leaving half in their shells. Strain the cooking liquor and add to the fish stock.

7. Heat the olive oil in a large paella pan. Add the garlic, followed by the tomato, green pepper, and the remaining carrot and onion.

8. Reduce the heat and fry, stirring often, for 3 minutes, until the vegetables have softened slightly.

9. Tip in the squid rings, and cook for 5 minutes until they have lightened in colour. Add the fish chunks to the pan.

10. Sprinkle in the paella rice and fry gently, stirring often, until the rice becomes translucent. Add the saffron together with its soaking water, 125ml of Manzanilla sherry and one litre of the fish stock, stirring well. Season with salt.

11. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook over a medium heat , adding extra ladlefuls of stock if the rice shows any signs of drying out.

12. After about 15 minutes, top the rice with the peeled prawns and cook the paella for a further 10 minutes until the prawns are pink and the rice is cooked through, but retains a slight bite.

13. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the langoustines and simmer until they turn colour. Drain, and plunge the langoustines into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.

14. Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and scatter over the clams and mussels (both shelled and in their shells) on top of the paella. Arrange the langoustines around the paella, decorate with lemon wedges, sprinkle with parsley and serve straight away.

Comments add a comment

Be the first to add a comment...

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients
750g Fish bones, for stock
500g cooked peeled prawns, shells reserved)
6 peppercorns
2 Carrots, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
2 Onions, chopped
Manzanilla sherry
500g fresh clams
500g raw mussels
4 tbsp Olive oil
2-3 garlic clove, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
4 Squid, cleaned and bodies sliced into rings
500g hake, monkfish or dogfish fillet, cut into chunks
1.2kg paella rice
8 strands of Saffron, soaked in a little warm water
Salt
500g langoustines
lemon wedges, to garnish
Parsley