Paella Valenciana

Cultural, seasonal, resourceful, social... we enjoyed a piquant pan of Paella Valenciana this Sunday afternoon in the backyard with our family. This recipe utilized leftover shrimp stock, considered the season and took advantage of bargains found at market.

In typical Spanish fashion, we enjoyed an afternoon of music, conversation and laughter as we cooked the meal. The name of the dish comes from the large pans that are used to prepare it, which were designed to provide an abundance of food and highlight the communal aspect of the dish. It was also traditionally cooked over fire to incorporate a smoky flavor; something we'd love to try one day! It is a time-consuming effort, but we guarantee that the outcome will be rewarding.

(For the rice)
3 cups seafood stock (in this case, shrimp stock)
2 cups basmati rice
1 tbsp ground yellow turmeric
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt

9 long neck clams (wild-caught if possible)
12 oz shitake mushrooms
1 large onion
1 large bell pepper
1 cup seafood stock (again, in this case, shrimp stock)
3 stalks chopped green onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tbsp olive oil

Begin by washing vegetables (and your hands!) and rinsing rice until the runoff water becomes clear. Bring 3 cups of the seafood stock, salt, oil and rice to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add turmeric and set aside. Chop your vegetables and heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Sautee onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and olive oil until slightly browned. Set vegetables aside. Add 1 cup seafood stock to the pan and steam clams until they open their shells. Combine rice, vegetables and clams in the pan, stirring until the stock has incorporated into the paella. Garnish with parsley and green onion.

We enjoyed ours with grilled milk fish as well. We'll be sure to share that recipe with you soon. Hope you enjoy!