Seafood Paella from the Albufera
Private chef Alix Verrips says the Albufera in Valencia is known as the birthplace of paella.Recognised throughout the culinary world as Spain’s national dish. The Albufera is the award winning restaurant l’Albufera in Moraleja, on the outskirts of Madrid, where Alix received personal tutelage from the paella master himself, Chef Julián Garcia, who has won the ‘Best paella in the World’ title numerous times.
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Loading... Ingredients
10 cloves garlic
45 ml chopped fresh parsley
60 ml olive oil
60 ml water
250 g calamari, diced
250 g mixed seafood (mussels, clams, shrimps, scallops)
2 litres chicken or seafood stock
5 ml saffron threads
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
750 ml Bomba paella rice (Spekko Long Grain Parboiled Rice or Spekko Saman white Rice can be used)
15 ml sweet paprika
125 ml pureéd tomatoes
125 ml white cooking wine or beer
6 extra-large or 12 large prawns or langoustines, deveined
12 mussels in the shell
12 clams in the shell (optional)
125 ml frozen baby peas
Freshly chopped parsley and lemon wedges for garnishing
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C and place a roasting dish three-quarters full of water on the bottom shelf.
- Pulse the garlic, parsley, olive oil and water in a blender 5 – 7 times until blended but still slightly chunky.
- Marinate the diced calamari and seafood in 45 ml of the garlic-parsley oil for 5 minutes.
- Warm the stock in a saucepan over medium heat and add the saffron to it.
- Toss the onion and red pepper in 45 ml of the garlic-parsley oil and set aside for 5 – 10 minutes to marinate.
- Heat a 6 – 8 serving paellera (paella pan) over medium and sauté the onion and red pepper for 2 – 3 minutes until they start to become translucent.
- Add the marinated seafood and sauce and cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes until the seafood becomes opaque.
- Add 30 ml more of the garlic-parsley oil, the rice, paprika and tomatoes and stir well. Pour in the wine or beer and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes. Add half the stock, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes until the rice has absorbed some of the liquid.
- Place the prawns, mussels, clams and peas on top of the rice, pour over the rest of the stock and simmer until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Put the pan in the oven and cook for a further 10 – 12 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is still al dente.
- Drizzle over some more of the garlic-parsley oil, garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges and serve with Alioli (garlic mayonnaise) on the side.