Seafood Paella

Don’t be afraid of making this easy Seafood Paella, it is essentially a risotto using a medium grain stubby rice that absorbs liquid well ( if you don’t have the Paella rice an Arborio rice  does the trick)  there are loads of recipes and you can mix up the ingredients ie swap the chicken pieces for fresh snapper , leave out the prawns and add squid or baby octopus, Chorizo and the muscles and saffron essential,  use fish stock instead of Chicken .Give it a go it is a a wow dish and great for a crowd

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups chicken stock or fish stock
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled and then loosely measured
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red  capsicum, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 mild dried chorizo sausage, sliced into thin half-moons (See Recipe Note)
• 3 cups short-grain rice, such as Spanish Bomba rice or Italian Arborio
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 500gm prawns with tails left on
• 500gms, rinsed and scrubbed Muscles ( You can use the vacuumed sealed muscles and clams available from good super markets fantastic product )
• 500gms clams, rinsed and scrubbed
• 500gm fresh snapper ( or chicken pieces but both are optional and not essential )
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley, for garnish

1.  Steep the saffron: In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a boil. Add the saffron and salt. Turn off the heat and let the saffron steep for at least 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
2.  In a 30 cm cast iron pan or heavy based frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat on top of the stove. Add the onion and red pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic and chorizo. This is called the sofrito
3.  Add the rice, and cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the rice is coated with oil and lightly toasted.
4. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, and peas. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if you like.
5. Spread the rice evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer the rice without stirring for 15 minutes, or until the rice absorbs most of the stock. If the mixture looks dry, pour about 1 cup of hot water over it, but do not stir
6. Slip a spatula under the rice and check to see if you have achieved the elusive golden brown socarrat. If not, set the pan over the heat, uncovered, for a few minutes to lightly caramelize the bottom.
7. If you are using Snapper or Chicken pieces lightly coat with a 1 tsp of paprika and a 1/4 cup of seasoned  flour and in a separate frying pan gently fry until cooked and slightly golden, once cooked arrange the pieces into the frypan with the rice and shellfish