Seafood Paella paired with a deliciously chilled glass of Tokara Chardonnay
World Ocean Day was initially proposed in 1992 to celebrate our oceans and promote sustainability and a reminder to us all how precious our oceans are.
Being in Plettenberg Bay, right next to the Indian Ocean, i felt it was only apt to share one of my favourite winter seafood dishes – the Paella.
A little Paella history…
Seafood Paella is a rice based dish traditionally from Spain and packed with flavour.
Paella was the food of farm workers who cooked dishes of rice over wood fires, embellished with whatever ingredients they could find.
The dish is named for the wide, shallow pan in which the paella is cooked. If you don’t have one, a good frying pan works wonders.
Paella starts with a “sofrito”—finely chopped onions, garlic, and tomatoes or red peppers sautéed gently in olive oil. Sofrito lays the groundwork for all the flavors in the dish to mingle; think of it as the foundations of a great dish.
Here in Plettenberg Bay, we have a great store where they bring in sustainable catches daily through out the week from our shorelines. I went up and spoke to the one of the local fishermen who gave me a selection of West Coast mussels, calamari and prawns.
Sustainably sourced Calamari, Mussels & Prawns with Saffron infused Rice
Sustainable seafood is defined as seafood which originates from a fishery or farm which could continue to operate indefinitely without reducing the target species for any other species in the marine ecosystem’s ability to maintain a viable population. A sustainable species should:
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Not be a species that is regarded as endangered or threatened
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Be caught in a well-managed fishery
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Be caught using responsible fishing methods
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Be traceable from “boat to plate”
Lockdown Seafood Paella Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ½ Cups Chicken stock
- ½ Teaspoon Saffron threads
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Tablespoons Good Quality Olive Oil
- 100g / 0.22 lbs Pancetta cubes
- 1 Large White onion, finely chopped
- 1 Red Pepper, finely chopped
- 1 Green Pepper, finely chopped
- 1 Yellow Pepper, finely chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 170g / 6 oz Chorizo, sliced
- 3 Cups Short grained rice
- 1 Can / 14 oz Diced tomatoes
- 150g / 0.33 lbs Prawns, peeled & deveined – from sustainable sources
- 150g / 0.33 lbs Mussels, rinsed and scrubbed, in the shells – from sustainable sources
- 150g / 0.33 lbs Calamari, cleaned – from sustainable sources
Method
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a boil. Add the saffron and salt. Turn off the heat and let the saffron infuse for at least 10 minutes.
- Cook the sofrito base – heat the oil over medium heat on top of the stove. Add the onion, garlic, peppers and pancetta. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the ingredients are soft. Add the chorizo.
- Add the canned tomatoes and give a good stir. Add the rice. Stir it altogether, making sure all the ingredients in the pan are mixed well together.
- Pour in the saffron infused stock and give a quick stir. Now, the secret here is to no longer stir this mixture!
- Let the paella simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until you can see the rice is cooked.
- Add the seafood – nestle the prawns, mussels and calamari strips into the rice. The seafood will also add some liquid into the rice mixture with all the flavour. Allow to cook for a further 10 minutes until the seafood is just cooked through.
Anna’s Tip – we lit a wood fire and I placed the pan onto the grill and put the lid on. This added a wonderful smoky element to the paella. Best eaten with good friends!
We lit a wood fire and placed the paella on it to give it some smoke!Hp
For the vegetarian family, you can use this recipe and substitute the chicken stock for vegetable stock and omit the seafood – it’s as delicious!
Happy Cooking! Keep watching the “Londolozi Lockdown Larder” for more deliciousness!
Thank you for the recipe Anna. It look amazing. I might just try the vegetarian option, or maybe add chicken instead of seafood.
Excellent Anna, your delicious food is always a highlight of our Londoz visits right up there with the game drives.
Thanks Kenneth, look forward to many more delicious moments soon!
Thanks Marinda – yes, you can most certainly use chicken which is as delicious!
Sounds fabulous, adding to
my receipe collection! thank you!!! Victoria
Fabulous recipe Cheffanna! Sherry has a great one as well. Next time you’re stateside we’ll have you over! Sending loads of love…
That’s in the diary Tom & Sherri! x
Anna, love this recipe too🤗
Cannot wait for the other recipes
Yum. Thanks Anna. It is going to be cold and wet in Cape Town for the next few days. Perfect food.
Thanks Karin, yes, the weather is starting for sure. Snow on the mountains already! Keep warm!
Vegetarian paella, forsooth?! Is that like vegetarian beef Strogonoff? 🙁
Hi Doug! yes, if you can believe, it is quite delicious! Same method of cooking.
Anna, fantastic recipe. Thank you for the equivalents- I can put google to rest. Here in Northern California we have access to great seafood so this recipe is on my list to prepare soon- once friends are allowed to visit for a meal.
Thanks Denise! I can imagine you have many other great seafood additions such as clams as well, which work wonders in a paella. Send a picture when you make it!
Yum!! A nice addition to be added to my recipe plans! Thank you!
on my to-do -list!! Thank you sooooo much
Yum!! Recipe now in my files. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Mary-Beth – hope you and Bob are both keeping safe and well.
Can almost get the aroma here!
)Glad they modified the vino regulations!)
Thanks Vin – hope you and Michele are both well x
Brava!! Looks delicious!
Thanks Paul it was – how did the salmon and green sauce work out!
It was sooo good! Thanks for the great idea! When things open up for restaurants here in the Bay Area, I want to do pintxo-sized version on the Duende menu. I will, of course credit you and name it “ salmón a la mode de chef anna de Londolozi”!!!
With your permission, of course!!
WOW, Really Delicious Paella Recipe.
Your blog is so nice and a perfect recipe! Thank you