FISH AND SHELLFISH PAELLA

FISH AND SHELLFISH PAELLA image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

½ pound Manila or small littleneck clams (simplify: use canned baby clams).
1 tablespoon coarse salt (only if using fresh clams)
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
4 ½ cups fish stock (simplify: 1 cup clam juice + 3 ½ cups chicken broth)
Pinch of saffron threads
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded (simplify: use scallops and/or canned oysters)
1 cup water (only if using fresh mussels)
½ cup olive oil
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and cut lengthwise into narrow strips
½ pound monkfish or grouper fillet, cut into chunks (or swordfish or flounder)
½ pound small squid, cleaned and with bodies cut into narrow rings and tentacles left whole
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 cups Spanish rice
4 large shrimp in shell with heads intact (simplify: use large, peeled, deveined shrimp from grocery)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Steps:

2. Preheat the oven to 500F. Place the garlic cloves in a small baking pan and roast in the oven for 10-15 min., or until the skin is browned. 3. In a small sauce pan, bring the fish stock to a boil. Add a few saffron threads and decrease heat to simmer. 4. When the garlic is ready, remove from the oven and leave the oven on. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, peel, place in a blender, add ½ cup of the simmering stock, and the rest of the saffron. Process until well blended. Set aside. 6. In a large (15 inch) paella pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 10 min., or until tender. Add the monkfish, medium shrimp, squid, (plus any substitutes) and salt and increase heat to medium-high. Sauté for about 5 min., or until shrimp are pink. Add the rice and stir to blend well with the rest of the ingredients, allowing the rice to absorb a little of the oil. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Pour the hot stock into the pan, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the garlic mixture, stir gently to incorporate,, and continue to boil for 5 min. without stirring. Shift the pan for even cooking. Taste the stock and season with salt if necessary. 7. Arrange the mussels and large shrimp neatly on top of the rice. Drain the clams and arrange them around the rim of the pan. Place the pan in the oven for 12 min. The liquid will be absorbed, the rice will be tender, and the clams will have opened. 8. Remove from the oven and discard any clams that failed to open. Sprinkle with lemon juice evenly over the top. Cover and let rest for 7 min. before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.