I have a 32" paella pan and a outdoor table top height LP burner that has several fire rings that I have used to feed over 20 people before. I use a smaller 17" pan for groups of 8 or less. I chop up all the items the day before and and assemble the tapas the night before. Serve up some good wine and tapas and make it a big deal as everyone watches you cook up the paella. Great for a patio setting as folks find it something interesting as most have never eaten this way before. I lived in Madrid some years ago and learned to cook at the homes of Spanish friends.
IMO Spanish food rules!
Seafood Paella Recipe - Paella de Marisco
Seafood Paella is probably the most famous and popular Spanish dish around the world. It originates in Valencia, a region on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, between Barcelona and Murcia that is known for its rice dishes. There are as many versions of paella as there are cooks in Spain!
This recipe serves about 6 to 8. Increase as needed for more folks
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 whole chicken or 8 chicken drumsticks
- 1 1/2 lbs pork loin (fat trimmed), cut into ¾ inch pieces
- 1/2 lb calamar (squid) cleaned and sliced into rings
- Medium grain or "pearl" rice
- 4-6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon of Saffron
- 1 1/2 lbs raw mussels in shell (frozen or fresh)
- 1 lb small clams (frozen or fresh)
- 1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, medium or large - de-veined with tail shell on
- 1 red pepper seeded and sliced
- 1 jalepano seeded and diced
- 1 10 oz. pkg frozen peas
- Olive Oil, Salt to Taste
Preparation:
If you prefer to use a step-by-step recipe with photos,
Seafood Paella Step-by-Step Recipe. This seafood paella recipe makes 12 servings.
Before you start preparing paella, it's best to check you have all ingredients and gather the equipment that you'll need.
- 17 inch (144cm) paella pan
- Round charcoal BBQ or LP burner
- Medium sauce pan
- Sharp knife for chopping meat and vegetables
- Meat cleaver (if you use a whole chicken)
- Heavy gauge Aluminum Foil or aluminum cover for Paella pan
Cut the Chicken and Pork into Serving-Size Pieces - You'll need one whole chicken, cut into serving-size pieces or 8 chicken drumsticks. If you use a whole chicken, use a meat cleaver to cut the chicken into pieces small enough to easily mix while sautéing.
With a sharp knife, cut the pork into 3/4" pieces.
Clean the squid and remove the tentacles. Make sure to remove the innards and the "spine" and discard. Then, cut the squid into rings.
Tip: Try to buy fresh squid whenever possible. If fresh squid is not available, look for packages of squid in the frozen food section. The squid should NOT have batter or coating on them, since that type is used for frying.
Slice red pepper and chop onions and tomatoes, set aside.
Now that you have the ingredients cleaned and chopped, it's time to start the fire and begin cooking.
Assemble all the ingredients on a table near the pan - so that you can stay in the area and monitor the cooking.
Place the paella pan on the grate and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom and allow the pan to heat up. When hot enough, sauté the onions and tomatoes in the olive oil. Add olive oil as needed to prevent sticking. Once the onions are translucent, add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly - about 15 minutes. Add pork and squid and cook, stirring often.
Add the rice in the form of a cross. Stir for 2-3 minutes to thoroughly coat the rice with oil and mix with the other ingredients.
Add saffron to the chicken broth and stir. Slowly pour broth into pan until pan contents are covered. Spread ingredients evenly over bottom of pan.
Arrange mussels around outside edge of pan, pointing up. Place clams and shrimp in pan, distributing them evenly around the pan. Add slices of red pepper on top.
Allow to simmer, cooking rice. Add more broth if necessary. When rice is almost cooked, sprinkle peas over the pan.
When rice is cooked and you just begin to smell a slight roasting smell and almost no bubbling sounds, remove from heat and cover pan allowing paella to "rest" for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Eat with squeeze of lemon over dish.
