Paella Valenciana

This recipe is shared from our friend Chef Fer of Paella Tapas & More from our Paella classes! Enjoy! 

The cooking liquid's rate of evaporation can vary; the rice's cooking time can vary, too. Be sure to pay attention, managing the heat, and adding liquid as necessary.  Serves 4 to 6 

Saffron-Clam Juice Stock 

¼ tsp. crumbled saffron threads 

1 tomato 

½ green bell pepper 

1 small yellow onion 

(4 oz.) 2 bay leaves (or as many as you like) 

1 leek 

fresh parsley 

salt 

celery 

fish bones 

1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice 

shrimp shells 

In a mortar, crush the saffron until powder. In a large saucepan, set over medium-low heat, introduce the powder. Toast for a few seconds and add the rest of ingredients to make the stock. Bring to a boil over high heat for 30 - 45 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and set aside to infuse. Can leave in the refrigerator for up to 2 days to develop flavor. 

Seafood in Wine 

1 c. white wine 

1 lb. mussels, rinsed well 

1 dozen clams 

In another small saucepan, bring the wine to a boil. When it’s boiling, add mussels and clams and shake the saucepan for a minute; the movement helps the clams and mussels to open. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Sofrito (garlic, pepper and grated tomatoes) 

½ c. extra-virgin olive oil (approx.) 

4 - 5 medium cloves garlic, 

finely chopped 1 green bell pepper, 

diced 1 very large or 2 small ripe tomatoes (12 oz. total)

½ tsp. sweet or hot pimenton (smoked paprika) turmeric 

¼ tsp. Kosher salt 

1 c. garbanzo beans (chickpeas) 

1 c. fresh green peas 

12 large (31 to 40 per lb.) shrimp, peeled (reserve the shells) 

½ lb. calamari 12 all-natural sea scallops 

1¾ c. Spanish bomba rice 

2-3 Chicken cut in pieces

Cut the tomato in half horizontally (not through the stem). Grate the tomato halves on the box grater all the way down to the skin to get about ¼ c. juicy tomato pulp; set aside. Set a 16-inch paella pan over medium-low heat. Add ¼ c. oil; when it's hot, add the chopped garlic and diced green bell pepper. Cook all in the center of the pan; stirring occasionally, until all softens and darkens slightly, about 4 - 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato pulp, pimentón, turmeric, and salt. Add garbanzos and fresh peas. Gently cook the mixture in the center of the pan, stirring frequently, until it's deep, dark red and very thick. Adjust the heat as needed, being careful to not let it burn. If it starts to stick, deglaze by adding little drops of olive oil and scraping the pan. Move the sofrito to the edges and add more olive oil in the middle. Put in the center: chicken, shrimp, calamari, and finally the scallops. The shrimp: As soon as you see they are a little pink move them to the edges. The calamari: As soon as you see the tentacles beginning to squeeze, it´s time to move them to the edges. The scallops: must be the last seafood ingredient to add; need to cook only a minute. Put the scallops on a plate and reserve them. [Orientate time: 3-15-2: The numbers 3-15-2 means how you can manage the heat, but remember to always use common sense. After you put the rice in the pan, turn the heat on high for 3 minutes,

after that, reduce it to a vigorous simmer for a minimum of 15 minutes (approx.), and if you would like the crispy part, the socarrat, switch the heat to medium-high for the last 2 minutes.*] Paella When the sofrito is done, add the Saffron-Clam Juice Stock, to the height of the rivets on the handle of the paella pan; mix all the ingredients in the pan. Bring to a boil with high heat. Stir. When it is boiling, spread the rice in the shape of a cross across the pan, slightly above the liquid. Keep the heat on high and slowly move the rice a little bit, but do not disturb the rice too much, so it stays in an even layer on top of the liquid. From this point on, do not stir the rice. Bring to a boil, and then adjust the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, repositioning the pan as needed so it bubbles all the way to the edges (the bubbles at the edge will be much smaller than the bubbles at the center). Simmer vigorously until the rice appears at the level of the broth, about 10 - 15 minutes. Arrange the reserved wine, mussels, clams and scallops on top of the paella, distributing them evenly. When the sounds of the paella start popping, and it seem crispy, switch off the heat.

Garnish: 1 red pepper, roasted and peeled 1 lemon, sliced or cut in wedges, for garnish Arrange the red peppers on top of the paella. Place lemon slices around the perimeter of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat, and cover with a clean dishtowel or kitchen towel. Let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes. What’s “The Socarrat?” There's hidden treasure under all that seafood. But what exactly is it? The socarrat (pronounced soh-cah-ROT) is the delicious caramelized rice that sticks to the bottom of the paella pan. Sometimes it forms on its own, but often you must nudge it along at the end of cooking. Just turn up the heat and listen for crackling/popping sounds, The socarrat will feel rough rather than smooth. It takes only a couple of minutes for the socarrat to form, so pay attention. It's easy to go too far and burn it.* To avoid that, move the pan over the burner so no single area gets too much heat, and sniff the air frequently. If you smell any burning, take the pan off the heat. The socarrat tends to occur in the center of the pan more than in the perimeter. The hunt for it is part of the adventure of eating paella. Buen Provecho!!