# Seafood Paella



## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

gonna give it a go tonite, 

got the official pan and just got back from the Vietcong market with scallops, clams, and mussels and scrimps and peas.

Even have some Saffron from overseas.

This is one expensive mother to cook, prob. a total of $65 for one dish, do-it-yourself.

will post pics as it progresses.


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## Instigator (Jul 6, 2004)

Coastal I hope that your results warrant the effort and expense. Mine have convinced me that this dish is either beyond my skills or simply over-rated. I have paid a lot for paella in restaurants a time or two and certainly enjoyed it but I didn't spend half a day getting it prepared either. I have also paid a lot for stuff that wasn't fit to eat so I'm not the only one that struggles with the prep!


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## sandollr (Jun 6, 2008)

Ohhh, good luck, Coastal! I can't wait to see the pics. Paella is something I've always wanted to cook.


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## ellisredfish (Jul 5, 2005)

In 2005 I attended the International Basque Festival held every five years in Boise, Idaho (I'm of Basque decent). It is not much different than a Cajun Festival. In fact, many Cajuns are of Basque decent also. Anyway, found a paella pan at a store there and bought it. I buy a match box full of safron at an Indian food store for $3.50. That is enough for three large paellas. Add a few shrimp, some drumettes, and Cajun sausage, green peas, smoked bell pepper strips, and it is done. It is not all that expensive to make. The original paellas are made with just rabbit. I usually cook it for my kids on Sundays. I ordered paella at a restaurant here in Houston once. It was junk.


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## ellisredfish (Jul 5, 2005)

*Paella*

Oops forgot the gourmet picture.


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## sandollr (Jun 6, 2008)

That looks soooo good, ellisredfish!! And you make it sound so easy.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

That looks real good!


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## sandollr (Jun 6, 2008)

Coastal .. it's been hours. Is it done yet? I'm hungry.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

sorry, adult beverages caused lapse of memory, here you go.

the start
flipping the rice
final product with some fresh marinated pepper salad

it was awsome

supposed to have peas in it , but i forgot them till after it was cooked
takes about 2 hrs to make , so start early.


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## Instigator (Jul 6, 2004)

Coastal you're killing me. Now I'm gonna have to try again. Man that looked good.


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## Harley (Jul 5, 2007)

Bobby Flay did this dish on one of his throw down shows.. 
He made it look easy???

Looks good, I too enjoy cooking.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

it is easy, matter of fact gonna make it more often. I blended 4 different recipes and used parts of all. most call for sausage , which we opted to skip.

also some had bell pepper and some pimentos, so i used jar pimentos for the color.

there are 2 covered simmer points, 1 for the chicken and ham/pork and another for the rice of about 1/2 hour each, so that burns an hour.

i precooked the snapper and set it aside and added it and the shrimp and scallops at the very end, just till the shrimp pinked up good and then pulled it to eat.

this was a hard core seafood batch and it did end up being at least $50 to make, but you for sure don't have to put all that in there. subst, jar clams for in-shell ones, etc.

all the recipes called for 2 cups rice and i only used 1 1/2 per the wimmen's argueing. use 2 , that way it is not runny..........and just lift and flip the rice or it will turn to slurry.

oh , and watch the salt, most of the ingredients are pretty salty on their own.


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## JohnR (Mar 29, 2006)

*Looks great! What is in the pepper salad and how do you make it?*


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## teamfirstcast (Aug 23, 2006)

Great dish! looks awesome, but what is this "flipping the rice" part? I've heard that you should not stir the rice once it starts smmering. The trick is to take the rice to the edge of charred but not quite... you want the carmelized flavor in the bottom of the pan to season and hold to the rice and create a sort of crust. That is the sign of a properly cooked paella. But it is very difficult to do consistantly, sometimes you get it right , sometimes not. I'm no expert just offering my .02.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

When I cook this dish I pick up and jiggle the pan *not flip it* to get the semi-charred rice crust on bottom. Basically you listen and smell to determine when to pull the pan off the fire. Bubbling sounds almost stop and you just start to smell something like toast does when it is done just slight brown.

Key is to use the right type of rice and good stock instead of water. My favorite rice is Bomba, a short grain rice grown in Calasparra from Spain. This rice absorbs far more water than typical long grained american rice. Remember a paella is really a rice dish and a high quality rice is the place to start.


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## Instigator (Jul 6, 2004)

FlakMan, how does Bomba compare to high end short grain Japanese style varieties? I use Tamanishiki (California grown) for my sushi stuff since it's all about the rice as well. I have always used mid length varieties for my Spanish and Portuguese recipes and it was hard to find. Maybe I had what I really needed already.


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## teamfirstcast (Aug 23, 2006)

Where can you get Bomba rice in H-town?


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

Coastal...why don't you come over to my place and show me how to make this dish? I was just telling Haute Pursuit the other day that ever since you posted this thread I have been craving some Seafood Paella but I would not even know where to start.


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