Paella de Marisco

Ingredients

• 400 gbomba rice
• 400 gshrimp — shell on
• 300 gmussels — scrubbed
• 300 gclams — purged
• 300 gmonkfish — cut into chunks
• 2squid — cleaned and cut into rings
• 2ripe tomatoes — grated
• 1red bell pepper — cut into strips
• 1 tbspsweet pimentón
• 1 pinchsaffron threads
• 1.2 Lfish stock — hot
• 100 mlextra virgin olive oil
• to tastefine sea salt

Method

1. Begin by heating 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a wide, shallow paella pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add 400 g of shrimp and sear them until they turn pink and slightly opaque, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add 300 g of monkfish, cut into chunks, to the pan and brown them until they are golden on the outside. Remove and set aside with the shrimp.
2. In the same pan, add 2 squid, cleaned and sliced into rings. Cook them briefly until they turn opaque and are lightly browned, then remove and set aside with the other seafood. This step ensures the seafood releases its flavors into the oil, creating a flavorful base for the paella.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add 1 finely chopped onion to the pan. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Grate 2 ripe tomatoes directly into the pan, discarding the skins, and add them to the onion. Stir in 1 tbsp of sweet pimentón and cook the mixture down until it becomes dark, jammy, and sweet, about 8-10 minutes. This sofrito forms the aromatic foundation of the dish.
4. Meanwhile, bring 1.2 L of fish stock to a simmer in a separate pot. Add a pinch of saffron threads to the stock, allowing them to infuse and release their color and aroma. Taste the stock and adjust with fine sea salt as needed, ensuring it's well-seasoned before adding it to the rice.
5. Pour the hot saffron-infused fish stock into the pan with the sofrito. Stir to combine, then evenly scatter 400 g of bomba rice across the pan. Do not stir the rice once it's added; this helps the grains cook evenly and remain separate. Arrange 300 g of mussels and 300 g of clams, cleaned and debearded, into the rice, hinge side down, so they can open easily as they cook.
6. Return the cooked shrimp, monkfish, and squid to the pan, nestling them into the rice. Cut 1 red bell pepper into strips and arrange them decoratively on top. Increase the heat to high until the mixture reaches a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook without stirring until the rice absorbs most of the liquid and the seafood is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Look for the rice to be tender with a slight bite, and the mussels and clams to have opened.
7. Once the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, remove the pan from the heat. Cover it with a clean kitchen cloth and let it rest for five minutes. This resting period allows the rice to finish cooking and the socarrat, the prized crust at the bottom, to set. Serve the paella straight from the pan, encouraging diners to enjoy the variety of textures and flavors.