So I might just have missed the day this year but who needs a special date to have a Paella? Whether dining out or make-it-yourself it´s a great, easy dish to for a fiesta. A dish that creates an impression and feeds lots of people.

As a dish we usually make outdoors it is important to have a variety of different sized Paella pans, the difficulty is where to store them all when not in use!

There´s nothing more fun than a family gathering at home, sun shining and Paella bubbling away, the aroma carries in the slight breeze and the expectation and hunger grows.

Spanish National Paella Day – Fish Paella Recipe

Ingredients
200g squid, cut into small pieces
1/2 kg mussels in shells, cleaned
8 large raw prawns in their shells
950ml fish stock
1 tsp sea salt
80ml water
Pinch saffron
5 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
Fresh ground black pepper
400g rice
6 Piquillo peppers, in strips
1 lemon, cut 8 wedges


Method

Gently warm fish stock, water and saffron in a saucepan, do not boil.

Heat the olive oil in the Paella pan over medium heat and soften the onions and garlic; add tomatoes, cook for a few minutes, reduce and thicken then stir in the paprika and black pepper, then add the squid, stirring to coat it well.

Add warm stock and bring to the boil, the stir in the rice, coating it well – then do not stir again.

Bring the pan to a gentle boil and cook for about 5 minutes.

Continue to boil until the rice there is not much liquid left then reduce the heat to low. Add the mussels with the join downwards, prawns and pepper strips over the rice, pressing in gently.

Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat, cover and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.


See the Spain for Foodies page for more temptation.