Weeknight Seafood Paella

WEEKNIGHT SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Clean the clams and soak in cold water for 20 minutes.
• Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and season with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and Old Bay.
• Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add 1 teaspoon of oil and sauté the chorizo, onions, garlic and paprika until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Push aside, add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in the center and add the rice, stirring to coat with the oil. Sauté 3 minutes.
• Add the diced tomatoes, broth, salt, saffron threads (crumbled between fingers) and bay leaf.
• Mix and bring to a boil, stirring once, place the bell pepper over the rice, reduce heat to low and cover tightly, cook 15 minutes. Uncover, add the clams, shrimp and peas.
• Cover tightly again and cook on low heat until the clams open up and the shrimp are cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Uncover the skillet, raise the heat to medium-high and cook to toast the bottom of the rice, you should hear it sizzling, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Discard the bay leaf and garnish with parsley.

SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the saffron and lemon juice in a small bowl and crush the threads with the back of a spoon until the mixture turns bright yellow. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the roasted peppers, onion, parsley and bay leaf. Saute until the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and the remaining 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the rice and toast until slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour in the wine, scrapping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring, until the wine is fully absorbed. Pour in the tomatoes, stock, saffron mixture, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; stir until combined. Bring to a simmer, then nestle the clams into the rice. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mussels, shrimp and lobster. Cover and transfer to the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the clams and mussels are opened.
• Place the pot back on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the peas. Cook until the bottom of the rice forms a crust, about 5 minutes. Serve the paella with lemon wedges.

AUTHENTIC SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet or paella pan over high heat. Cook and stir onion, tomato, salt, and smoked paprika into the hot oil until softened, about 3 minutes. Add romano beans, butter beans, and rice; cook and stir until rice is coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place shrimp, mussels, and clams over the top of the rice mixture. Pour in white wine and seafood stock; sprinkle in saffron threads and rosemary. Bring mixture to a simmer. Turn shellfish and continue to cook until clams and mussels have opened, and shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove clams, mussels, and shrimp and set aside.
• Stir peas into the paella; simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in squid, and return clams, mussels, and shrimp to the pan. Cook until squid is opaque and cooked through, 2 to 3 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.

EASY PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, or as near as you can. Warm the stock in a saucepan with the saffron. Place a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. One minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice, and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy -- just a minute or two. Season liberally with salt and pepper, and add the warmed stock, taking care to avoid the rising steam. Stir in the shrimp, and transfer the pan to the oven.
• Bake about 25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is dry on top. Garnish, and serve immediately.

WEEKNIGHT PAELLA

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add rice mix and stir-fry vegetables; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice mix begins to brown.
• Stir in broth, water, bay leaf and seasoning packet from rice mix. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 5 minutes.
• Stir in sausage and peas. Add chicken pieces. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in shrimp. Cover; cook about 5 minutes or until shrimp and chicken are thoroughly heated. Remove bay leaf before serving.

SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Place stock in saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add saffron. Set aside. Rub monkfish with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat remaining oil in 17-inch paella pan, placed over 2 burners if necessary, or divide between two pans. Add onion and garlic and cook over low heat until soft. Add chorizo and saute briefly. Add rice and stir to coat.
• Add stock and stir. Simmer 10 minutes. Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in peas and place strips of peppers, alternating colors, around pan like spokes on a wheel. Place shrimp and monkfish around pan; add mussels, hinge-side down.
• Place in oven and bake until shrimp and monkfish are cooked and mussels have opened, about 15 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside 10 minutes. Scatter scallions on top and serve.