Catalan paella
6 servings
90 minutes
Catalan paella is a fragrant dish of Mediterranean cuisine inspired by the traditions of Catalonia. It combines the tenderness of chicken, the spiciness of bacon, and the exquisite taste of seafood with saffron-infused rice. Historically, paella originated in Spain as a peasant dish, and the Catalan version stands out with its rich combination of meat and fish ingredients. This paella has a rich flavor with light notes of spices and freshness from lemon. The dish is perfect for cozy family lunches and festive dinners, symbolizing hospitality and love for good food. The spicy hints of cilantro and sweet pepper harmoniously complement the seafood mix, making each spoonful a true gastronomic journey. Catalan paella is not just food; it's a real celebration of flavors and aromas on your plate!
1
Rinse the rice in several waters and soak it in hot water. Set aside.
- Long-grain parboiled rice: 200 g
2
Cut the bacon into thin strips and fry in vegetable oil until golden.
- Bacon: 50 g
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
3
While the bacon is frying, cut the chicken fillet and fish into cubes.
- Boneless chicken thigh fillet: 250 g
- Halibut fillet: 1 piece
4
Remove the bacon from the pan and immediately start frying the chicken fillet (until golden brown and fully cooked), then take the chicken fillet out of the pan and place it in the container with the bacon.
- Boneless chicken thigh fillet: 250 g
5
Clean the garlic and onion. Chop the garlic and slice the onion into half rings. Sauté the garlic for a couple of minutes, then add the onion and fry for 2 minutes, then add the pepper mix.
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Onion: 1 head
- Ground black pepper: to taste
6
Place the seafood cocktail and squid fillet in a steamer at different levels and cook for about 20 minutes, then remove the seafood cocktail and cook the squid for another 10 minutes until tender.
- Seafood cocktail mix: 300 g
- Squid: 2 pieces
7
Put the rice in a pan with vegetables (garlic, onion, pepper), mix, and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Long-grain parboiled rice: 200 g
- Garlic: 3 cloves
- Onion: 1 head
- Sweet pepper (capsicum): 100 g
8
Then pour in the broth, add saffron and fish sauce, and season with pepper. Also add the fried chicken fillet, bacon, seafood mix, and tomato paste, and salt if necessary. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the rice is cooked, stirring occasionally to prevent the paella from turning into mush, and add more broth during cooking if needed.
- Chicken broth: 200 ml
- Saffron: pinch
- Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Boneless chicken thigh fillet: 250 g
- Bacon: 50 g
- Seafood cocktail mix: 300 g
- Tomato paste: 1.5 tablespoon
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
9
Clean the shrimp and remove the intestine. Add the shrimp to the paella one minute before it's done.
- Shrimp: 10 pieces
10
Place the halibut cubes in a separate pan, add vegetable oil, and fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Halibut fillet: 1 piece
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
11
Chop the cilantro finely and mix it into the already prepared paella.
- Chopped cilantro (coriander leaf): 4 stems
12
Top with peas, halibut cubes, and lemon (cut the lemons into pieces suitable for squeezing juice later)
- Canned green peas: 1.5 tablespoon
- Halibut fillet: 1 piece
- Lemon: 4 pieces