The whole
world has learned to love this paella, made with a mixture
of fish, seafood, and chicken. There are as many paella
recipes as there are chefs. This is a prize-winning recipe from
Galicia.
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon powdered saffron
Coarse salt
200g olive oil
50g cured ham, chopped
100g chorizo sausage, sliced
1 kg chicken, cut into small pieces
250g squid, cut into small pieces
250g halibut, cut into small pieces
250g swordfish, cut into small pieces
500g small or medium shrimp, shelled
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
250g cooked small clams, in their shells
500g cooked mussels, reserve few shells for decoration
675g short-grain rice
1 lemon
1 litre hot chicken broth
750ml hot fish broth
Parsley sprigs and lemon wedges for garnish
Method
In a small bowl mash the garlic, parsley, saffron, and salt. Heat the olive oil in a
paella cooking pan with a 15 inch (40 cm) base. Add the chopped ham and chorizo. Fry,
stirring for a few minutes. Turn out onto a warm plate. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkled
with salt, to the pan and fry over a high heat until golden on all sides. Turn out onto
the warm plate. Add the squid, halibut, and swordfish to the pan. Sprinkle with a dash of
salt and fry. Turn out onto the warm plate. Add the shrimp to the pan and sauté for three
minutes, or until barely pink. Turn out onto the warm plate. Add the chopped onion, tomato
and peppers to the pan. Sauté until soft.
Return the cooked ham, chorizo, chicken, fish, and shrimp to the pan. Add the chopped
parsley, minced garlic, and the cooked clams and mussels. Stir in the rice and the juice
of one lemon. Fry for two or three minutes. Pour in the hot chicken and fish broth, and
continue to stir. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes without stirring. Turn off the
heat and shake the pan lightly to prevent any rice from sticking. Cover with a dry towel
for ten minutes. (This allows the rice to absorb any excess broth.) Garnish with lemon
wedges and parsley sprigs before serving.
