Here's a really easy seafood paella recipe with lobster and prawns. No need for a special paella pan, a large sturdy cast iron skillet will work. You can add what you catch or your favourite seafood.
What's in it:
- Water
- 4 small lobster tails
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used Private Reserve)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups Spanish rice or medium-grain rice, soaked in water for 20 minutes and then drained
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 large pinches of Spanish saffron threads soaked in ½ cup water
- 1 tsp Sweet Spanish paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp chilli pepper flakes (I used aleppo pepper)
- Salt
- 2 large Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- 170g French green beans, trimmed
- 15 peeled and deveined prawns
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
How to make it:
1. The first step here is to get the lobster cooking in boiling water. This will be quick, about 1 to 2 minutes. You don't want to overcook the lobster, but you're looking for it to turn a nice pink. When the lobster is cool enough to handle, remove the shell and cut into large chunks to use later. Important: keep the lobster water for later use.
2. Soak the paella rice in water a few minutes (15 to 20 minutes or so) before using, this helps it cook evenly. Then, to begin making the paella, heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high (making sure it's shimmering but not smoking.) Saute chopped onions first for a couple minutes, then add the rice (drain first).
Cook the rice for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Now we add a few more ingredients: garlic and the lobster cooking water first. Then the saffron and it's soaking liquid along with spices, paprika, cayenne pepper, aleppo pepper, and salt.
4. Stir in the chopped tomato and green beans. Bring to a boil and let the liquid reduce, then cover (with lid or tightly with foil) and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
5. Now, add the shrimp over the rice, pushing it into the rice a little. At this point, if the rice looks to be too dry and might need a tiny bit of water, you can carefully add some. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the shrimp turns pink.
6. Finally, add the cooked lobster chunks. When the lobster is warmed through, turn heat off. Garnish with parsley.
What to drink with it?
A good white wine.
How to mix it up and add other seafood:
- To add Chorizo: dried Spanish chorizo makes a good addition, and you can add them early on in the recipe to get the most flavour. Slice chorizo into thin half-moons and, once you've sauteed the onions, add the chorizo and give it a quick cook until it crisps a little, then continue on by adding the garlic, lobster cooking water etc.
- To add shellfish such as clams or mussels, nestle well-cleaned clams or mussels into the rice at the same time you add the shrimp, making sure the hinge sides are up so they release juices into the rice. Cover and cook until clams and mussels are open (about 6 to 10 minutes.)
- To add fish. I've been asked if adding fish fillets is an option. If you're going for a thinner fish like sole fillet, you can cut it up into pieces and add it at the same time you add the shrimp. Make sure you give the fish a little seasoning. Again, you'll cover and cook a few minutes until shrimp turns pink and your fish is nice and flaky.