Caribbean Seafood Paella Recipe
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Yield:
6 to 8 servings
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Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
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Prep Time:
45 mins
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Cook Time:
45 mins
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fresh shrimp, 36 to 40 count
- 1 pound firm, dense white fish such as snapper OR cod
- 8 ounces mussels, cleaned and tightly closed
- 8 ounces clams, cleaned and tightly closed
- 1 teaspoon sazon seasoning with annatto
- 2 Mazola® Sobrecitos™ Chicken Flavor Bouillon Packets
- OR 4 teaspoons Mazola® Chicken Flavor Bouillon Powder
- 4 cups hot tap water
- 1 whole bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons Mazola® Corn Oil
- 1-1/2 cups (10 ounces) uncooked, medium grain rice such as Valencia OR Arborio
- 1 cup sofrito (see recipe below)
- 1-1/2 cups diced bell pepper (red, yellow and/or green)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup sliced cured mild Spanish OR Portuguese chorizo (such as Linguica) OR diced smoked ham
- 1/2 teaspoon sazon seasoning
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh lemon wedges
Instructions
- Step 1) Clean shrimp and fish thoroughly and pat dry using paper towels. Keep mussels and clams on ice until ready to cook. Place shrimp and fish on a large plate; sprinkle with sazon seasoning and set aside.
- Step 2) Stir bouillon into hot water to make broth; add bay leaf and set aside.
- Step 3) Heat oil in a very large, deep-sided skillet over medium high heat. Add rice and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until rice just begins to brown. Add sofrito, peppers, tomato paste, chorizo and sazon. Stir to combine and continue cooking for 1 more minute.
- Step 4) Pour 3 cups of the prepared broth into rice mixture and bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed.
- Step 5) Combine the remaining broth with shrimp and fish in a deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Steam the shrimp and fish for 5 to 7 minutes or until almost cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover and set aside. Add mussels and clams to the pan with remaining broth, cover tightly and steam for 7 to 10 minutes or until fully opened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Step 6) When rice is ready, spoon cooked seafood and any remaining broth over the top and sprinkle with frozen peas; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Step 7) Prior to serving, remove and discard bay leaf, fluff rice with a fork and garnish with cilantro or parsley and fresh lemon wedges; serve immediately.
- (Tomato Bouillon can be used in place of Chicken Flavor Bouillon.)
- Recipe Note: Sofrito is a mixture of aromatic ingredients such as onions, peppers, garlic, oregano and cilantro that are very finely minced and slowly sauteéd in oil. The mixture is often made ahead in large batches and then frozen for use in soups, stews and rice dishes. There are many variations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Here is a basic recipe:
- Sofrito
- Makes: 4 cups
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Ingredients:
- 3 medium onions, peeled and cut in large chunks
- 3 medium green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium plum tomato, cubed
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro with stems
- 1 teaspoon crushed oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Mazola® Corn Oil
- Combine onions, peppers, tomato, garlic, cilantro, oregano and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely minced or approximately 1/8-inch piece size.
- Heat oil in large skillet over low heat. Add onion and pepper mixture to skillet and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Serve as a table condiment or an ingredient for seasoning many Latin American and Caribbean recipes. Sofrito can be frozen in a resealable freezer bag or ice cube trays for future use.
