Paella

• 4 chicken drumsticks

• 8 large shrimp (gambas), peeled and deveined, with heads left on

• 5 oz (150 g) chorizo, cut into cubes

• 9 oz (250 g) squid, cut into rings

• 2 onions, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp paprika powder

• 1 g saffron threads or saffron powder (small pinch / about ½ tsp threads)

• OR instead of paprika powder and saffron 1 bag of Paellero traditional Paella spices

• 3 red bell peppers, peeled and sliced

• 2 ½ cups (500 g) rice (short-grain or paella rice)

• ¾ cup (200 ml) white wine

• 6 cups (1,5 liter) chicken broth

• 7 oz (200 g) frozen peas

• 9 oz (250 g) clams

• 1.1 lb (500 g) mussels, cleaned

• ½ lemon, cut into wedges

• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• Chicken seasoning, to taste

• Olive oil, for cooking

• Black pepper, to taste

• Salt

​

1. Heat a very large pan (or paellera) over high heat. Add a generous splash of olive oil and quickly sear the shrimp. After about 1 minute, turn them over and remove them from the pan shortly after. Set the quickly seared shrimp aside and add them back in when you finish the paella later on.

​

2. Season the chicken drumsticks generously with chicken seasoning. Place them directly into the hot cooking fat. If needed, reduce the heat slightly. Cook the drumsticks for about 10 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they are evenly golden brown on all sides. Push the drumsticks to the side of the pan (if using a traditional paella pan), or temporarily remove them from the pan.

​

3. Add the diced chorizo to the pan and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned and crisped. Then push it to the side of the paella pan or temporarily remove it and set it aside.

​​

4. Now it’s time for the squid, which you cook in the oil that has taken on the flavor of the chorizo. Sauté the squid rings until they are lightly golden and develop a slightly crisp edge. Then push them to the side of the pan or remove them and set them aside.

​​

5. Add a little extra olive oil to the pan if needed. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Sprinkle smoked paprika over the onions, followed by saffron (or traditional paella seasoning). Stir well to combine, then add the sliced bell peppers.

​​

​​6. Now let the feast begin and bring (almost) everything together: the chicken drumsticks, chorizo pieces, squid rings, onion, and bell peppers. Add the paella rice to the pan and stir well. Cook the rice for a few minutes, allowing it to toast lightly. It is now ready to absorb the liquid.

​

7. Pour the white wine into the pan and stir well. This stops the browning process, and with a spatula you can loosen all the flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

​

8. Shortly afterward, pour most of the broth into the pan. Let the rice simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula. It’s perfectly fine if the rice on the bottom of the pan caramelizes slightly. The type of rice you use will determine how much broth or liquid is needed. Bomba rice absorbs a lot of liquid, while other varieties may need less. Add extra broth if needed. Also adjust the cooking time to your preference—whether you like the rice with a bit of bite (al dente) or softer and more fully cooked.

​

9. Sprinkle the peas over the pan and arrange the shellfish on top of the rice. Add the pre-seared shrimp as well. Let the shellfish and shrimp cook through, gently stirring the paella occasionally.

​

10. Finely grate a little lemon zest over the dish. Finely chop a generous amount of flat-leaf parsley and sprinkle it over the paella.