The Best Seafood Paella

The pairing of sausage and shellfish in this traditional and super easy Spanish paella is a sublime combination.

Simple Shellfish Paella

Ingredients

2 cup paella rice
4 tablespoons Spanish extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons pimenton (hot smoky paprika from Spain)
1 minced onion
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
3 minced garlic cloves
2 pinches saffron
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups fish stock (bottled clam broth is a fine substitute)
4 cups chicken stock
1 pound large blue or black mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
8 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat
6 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced thin

Instructions

SERVINGS: 4 TO 6

Place a 12-inch paella pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, add the oil.

Immediately add the onion, garlic, saffron, tomato paste pimenton, rice and stir, cooking until ingredients become toasty and aromatic. You want to scrape the bottom of the pan and you want to see caramelization, but don’t scorch or burn.

Add the chicken stock and fish stock and stir as you go, continue stirring for a few minutes as liquids simmer and are starting to become absorbed. Lower heat and cook for another 10 minutes. Add mussels, crab and clams, stir into rice and cover for a few minutes. Remove cover and stir gently. Cook for another 5-7 minutes. Rice should be just past ‘toothy’ but not mushy and the remaining liquid should have a nice creamy saucy texture.

Season with salt to taste and sprinkle with the fresh herbs. Serve.