Quick Seafood Paella Valenciana

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 cups short-grain paella rice (bomba or arborio)
• 3.5 cups chicken broth
• ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound mussels, debearded

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour the chicken broth into a small pot and set over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer with small bubbles breaking the surface, about 3 minutes.

2. 2

   Tear the saffron threads into small pieces with your fingers and drop them into the simmering broth, stirring once; let steep for 1 minute until the broth turns golden.

3. 3

   Pour the olive oil into a 14-inch paella pan (or large, shallow skillet) and place over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

4. 4

   Add the rice to the hot oil and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes until the grains are coated and look slightly translucent at the edges, building flavor.

5. 5

   Carefully pour the saffron broth into the rice in a slow, steady stream while stirring gently, then stop stirring and let the rice cook undisturbed over medium-high heat.

6. 6

   Cook without stirring for 15 minutes until the liquid is almost completely absorbed and the bottom of the rice forms a golden, crispy layer you can hear when you scrape with your spoon.

7. 7

   Scatter the shrimp evenly over the rice, then arrange the mussels in a single layer on top, pressing them gently into the rice.

8. 8

   Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until the shrimp are opaque throughout (cut one in half to check—no translucent center) and mussels have opened.

9. 9

   Discard any mussels that have not opened after 5 minutes—they were dead before cooking and are unsafe to eat.

10. 10

    Remove the foil and divide the paella among four shallow bowls, making sure each serving has rice, shrimp, and mussels.

Tools you’ll need

• 14-inch paella pan or large shallow skillet
• small pot
• wooden spoon
• aluminum foil
• small bowl or pinch container for saffron

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