Lobster Paella
4 servings
30 minutes
Paella with lobster is an exquisite dish of Spanish cuisine that embodies the spirit of Mediterranean cooking. Originating in Valencia, paella symbolizes the richness of flavors and traditions of this region. Lobsters add sophistication to the dish, while saffron water gives it a characteristic golden hue and spicy depth. Fish broth enriches the dish with marine aromas, and the combination of squid, shrimp, and bomba rice creates a layered texture in the paella. It is cooked in a wide pan, allowing each ingredient to fully express itself. Paella is served directly in the vessel it was cooked in, creating an atmosphere of friendly gathering. It is not just a dish — it is a true culinary ritual where traditions, craftsmanship, and the taste of sea breeze come together.
1
A good broth is very important for paella — it is what gives the flavor richness. For seafood paella, Jorge makes this fish broth: sauté 15 grams of chopped garlic and the same amount of parsley in olive oil, add nuts — hazelnuts or almonds (30 g), then 400 grams of shrimp heads and half a kilo of fish bones and heads. Sauté everything together, pour in about 3 liters of water, and cook for thirty minutes over medium heat. Then blend the contents of the pot and strain.
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Parsley: 20 g
- Olive oil: 15 ml
- Fish broth: 700 ml
2
To prepare paella, you need to prepare the lobster: insert a knife at a right angle into its head and cut it in half. Only half of the lobster is needed for four servings of paella, but if there's enough space in the pan, a whole one can be used.
- Lobsters: 1 piece
3
Prepare saffron water: for half a liter of hot water, you need three to four strands of saffron for a bright color.
- Saffron: pinch
4
Pour olive oil into a pan, add a crushed garlic clove, and sauté the seafood (first lobster, then squid and shrimp) over high heat for thirty seconds.
- Olive oil: 15 ml
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Lobsters: 1 piece
- Cuttlefish: 80 g
- Shrimps: 100 g
5
Remove the pests from the pan, and instead pour in saffron water and fish broth (if fish is unavailable, vegetable broth can be used), bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and add the rice. Cook it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, add paprika, mix, and when the rice is laid out (i.e., evenly distributed on the bottom of the pan), return the seafood to it.
- Saffron: pinch
- Fish broth: 700 ml
- Rice is the bomb: 160 g
- Sweet paprika: 1.5 tablespoon
6
Reduce the heat slightly and cook the paella until the rice absorbs all the water, hardly stirring it. If the seafood is not salty enough, add salt to taste, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve — you can do this directly in the pan.
- Salt: to taste
- Parsley: 20 g