Seafood Paella

Ingredients

• 300g paella or bomba rice
• 900ml fish or chicken stock, hot
• Large pinch saffron threads
• 300g raw prawns, shells on
• 300g mussels, scrubbed
• 200g squid, cut into rings
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tomatoes, grated
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Lemon wedges and parsley, to serve

Before you cook

• Steep the saffron in a little of the hot stock for 10 minutes.
• Scrub the mussels and discard any that stay open when tapped.
• Grate the tomatoes on a box grater and discard the skins.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wide shallow pan and fry the prawns for a minute a side, then lift them out.
2. Soften the onion and red pepper in the same pan for 8 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and paprika and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the grated tomato and cook until it darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes.
5. Tip in the rice and stir for a minute so every grain is coated.
6. Pour in the hot stock and the saffron liquid, season, and spread the rice into an even layer.
7. From this point do not stir, or the rice will turn creamy instead of separate.
8. Simmer briskly for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook for 8 minutes more.
9. Push the mussels and squid into the rice and lay the prawns on top, then cook for 5 minutes until the mussels open.
10. Turn the heat up for 60 to 90 seconds at the end to toast the base, listening for a faint crackle.
11. Rest off the heat under foil for 5 minutes, then serve with lemon and parsley.