Seafood Paella
Shrimp and mussels pair with smoky chorizo in this variation of the Spanish classic.
·Sep 20, 2022
Paella is often served for celebrations and with this a beautiful medley of texture and flavors, it’s not hard to see why. Chef Rulis Gonzalez, who helms Rulis’ International Kitchen in El Paso, TX, makes a wide variety of paellas featuring different proteins and vegetables. This version features Spanish chorizo alongside shrimp and mussels. Our specially designed Paella Pan is constructed from Carbon Steel, and its heat-retention helps create the crispy socarrat on the bottom. Plus, the wide pan can double as an attractive serving dish as well.
Seafood Paella
Shrimp and mussels pair with smoky chorizo in this variation of the Spanish classic.
Rulis Gonzalez
- 1 pound large to extra-large shrimp in shell (21/25), preferably EZ peel
- 3 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil (such as grapeseed), divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound black mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- ½ teaspoon saffron
- 1 ½ cups short grain paella rice
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips about 2” x ½”
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Thinly sliced lemon wheels and parsley, for serving
Peel shrimp, keeping tails on (save the shells). If using EZ peel shrimp they should already be deveined. Toss peeled shrimp with 1 Tbsp. oil, paprika, and 1 tsp. salt. Set aside.
Fill a large Stock Pot with 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, season well with salt (about 1 Tbsp.), and add the shrimp shells. Cover and simmer the shells.
After about 17 minutes of simmering the shrimp stock, set a Pasta Insert into the Stockpot, add the mussels, cover, and steam until they just begin to open, about 3 minutes. Remove Pasta Insert and mussels and set aside. Alternatively, steam the mussels using a steamer basket set into a covered Saucepan.
Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the shrimp stock into a large bowl. Discard the shells. Measure 2 ½ cups shrimp stock for the rice and reserve the remaining stock.
Bring ½ cup of water to a low simmer in a Butter Warmer. Do not let boil. Remove from heat, add the saffron, and steep 10–15 minutes.
Rinse the rice once or twice in a colander, allowing some of the starch to remain.
Heat the Paella Pan over medium-high and add remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, onion, and red bell pepper. Season with salt and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 additional minutes, but do not allow to burn.
Stir in the chorizo and allow some of the fat to render, about 2 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with fat. Cook together for 2 minutes more.
Add the saffron water (along with saffron threads) and stir to color the rice evenly. Add 2 ½ cups shrimp stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the paella.
Gently nestle the shrimp into the rice with tails pointing up. After about 5 minutes, cover rice with the peas to create a “lid” and raise the temperature slightly. Keep simmering for an additional 10–15 minutes. Test the rice for doneness and if it is still hard, add 2 Tbsp. reserved shrimp stock and continue to simmer.
Once the rice is soft and the liquid has been absorbed, turn up the heat to create the “socarrat” at the bottom of the pan, about 2 additional minutes. You will know it’s done when it just starts to smell toasted (not burned). Remove from heat and garnish with mussels, lemon, and parsley.
