I always try to cook with fresh produce that is currently in season. This is because produce available at its peak will taste the best and is normally at its cheapest. Whenever I visit my local fish monger and see fresh prawns, mussels and calamari, I always go looking for red capsicums to make my favourite seafood paella dish. This recipe which I have simplified from the Modiva cookbook, uses a sauce called ‘sofrito’. This thick, rich sauce is made by slow cooking onions, ripe tomatoes and red capsicums together. Once you stir the sofrito into the thirsty Calasparra rice, it not only changes the rice into a lovely red hue but punches enormous flavour into this seafood dish.

As the sofrito normally takes a good two hours to cook, I always like to cook a big batch and freeze portions of it in the freezer for when I need it. This will enable you to make paella in half the time.

This dish is designed for sharing which makes it so much fun to serve to family and friends and marries so well with a large glass of Sangria!

Cookbook Reference:

MOVIDA by Frank Camorra & Richard Cornish – ‘Movida Paella’ page 198

My version:

I have found that there is no need to over complicate the dish and your shopping list with rabbit meat, firm fleshed fish or periwinkles. As long as you have the three essential seafood ingredients of prawns, mussels and calamari that should be sufficient.

2 Responses to “Seafood Paella”

1. Sandra says:

   January 16, 2012 at 3:10 am

   Hi Janet,

   Your seafood paella looks amazing! I agree that cooking with fresh produce is the best way to go, it makes a big difference on the end result of a dish.

   Also, I love the quality of your photos and the eloquent way you write. Please keep it up, I look forward to reading more of your posts!

   Reply
2. Linda says:

   January 22, 2012 at 5:05 am

   I love this dish! Great post… I love the photo, makes my mouth water!

   Reply