Best 20 Seafood Paella Recipes

AUTHENTIC SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet or paella pan over high heat. Cook and stir onion, tomato, salt, and smoked paprika into the hot oil until softened, about 3 minutes. Add romano beans, butter beans, and rice; cook and stir until rice is coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place shrimp, mussels, and clams over the top of the rice mixture. Pour in white wine and seafood stock; sprinkle in saffron threads and rosemary. Bring mixture to a simmer. Turn shellfish and continue to cook until clams and mussels have opened, and shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove clams, mussels, and shrimp and set aside.
• Stir peas into the paella; simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in squid, and return clams, mussels, and shrimp to the pan. Cook until squid is opaque and cooked through, 2 to 3 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.

SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the saffron and lemon juice in a small bowl and crush the threads with the back of a spoon until the mixture turns bright yellow. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the roasted peppers, onion, parsley and bay leaf. Saute until the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and the remaining 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the rice and toast until slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour in the wine, scrapping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring, until the wine is fully absorbed. Pour in the tomatoes, stock, saffron mixture, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; stir until combined. Bring to a simmer, then nestle the clams into the rice. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mussels, shrimp and lobster. Cover and transfer to the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the clams and mussels are opened.
• Place the pot back on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the peas. Cook until the bottom of the rice forms a crust, about 5 minutes. Serve the paella with lemon wedges.

PAELLA WITH SEAFOOD, CHICKEN, AND CHORIZO

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry. Mix the oregano and paprika with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the pieces of chicken; marinate for 30 minutes so the flavor can sink in a bit.
• Heat the olive oil in a paella pan or wide shallow skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add the chorizo and continue to cook until the oil is a vibrant red color. Remove the chicken and sausage to a platter lined with paper towels.
• Return the pan to the stove and lower the heat to medium. Make a sofrito by sauteing the garlic, onion, and tomatoes; cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld; season with salt and pepper. Fold in the rice, stirring to coat the grains. Stir the saffron into the rice. Pour in the water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Do not cover or constantly stir like risotto.
• Add the shrimp, lobster, clams, the reserved chicken, and the chorizo. Give the paella a couple of good stirs to tuck in all the pieces and just let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes. Scatter the peas on top and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the paella looks fluffy and moist. The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat. Allow to rest, off the heat for 5 minutes, and garnish with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

SEAFOOD, CHICKEN, AND CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add shallot and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until very lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add rice and toast about 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes, mix well, and cook for 1 minute. Add water, chili powder, cumin, saffron, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Add bay leaf. Cover the saucepan and cook until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add 1/4 can of peas to cooked rice mixture and mix well. Partially cover saucepan to allow steam to release and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large paella pan over medium heat. Add chorizo; cook and stir until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Move cooked chorizo to the outside of the pan. Add chicken and cook until mostly cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. While chicken is cooking, add bell peppers, serrano peppers, onion, and diced tomato. Move cooked chicken to the outside of the pan.
• Add shrimp to the paella pan. Add a small amount of water if there is not enough moisture in the pan. Cook shrimp 2 minutes per side. Add scallops and cook 2 minutes more.
• Reduce heat under the paella pan to medium-low. Mix all ingredients in the pan together in a triumphant manner, forming a glorious mixture. Add finished rice in a layer on top of the mixture in the paella pan. Continue cooking 2 to 4 minutes more, until all meat, chicken, and seafood have been cooked through. Add avocado and cilantro, mix together, and serve.

SPANISH SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• With a heavy cleaver, chop each breast half into 3 pieces and each leg into 4 pieces.
• Combine the oil, onion, and garlic in a 12- to 14-inch skillet or paella pan and place over low heat.
• When the onion begins to sizzle, increase the heat to medium.
• Add the chicken pieces a few at a time and cook until lightly browned, sprinkling them with a little of the salt, pepper and paprika as they cook.
• As they brown, move the chicken pieces to the outside of the pan to make room for more in the center.
• When all the chicken has lost its raw color, add the squid, peppers, green onion, and the remaining salt, and crumble in the saffron. Stir in the rice, cooking for a minute or so to coat it with the oil.
• Add warm stock to within 1 inch of the rim of the pan (not all the stock may be needed).
• Arrange the shrimp over the top, and the mussels or clams in a ring around the outside, hinged side down.
• Cook at a lively simmer until the rice is just tender, about 20 minutes; scatter the peas over the top halfway through the cooking time.
• The paella may seem a little soupy when it first comes off the fire, but the rice will absorb the excess liquid in a few minutes.
• Tip:This works well woth boneless, skinless chicken thighs as suggested by YaYa.

CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• In a large stock pot over high heat add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the chicken thighs and ham hocks and brown thighs on both sides. Remove chicken to a plate, leaving the ham hocks in the pot. Add to pot 1 cup of onions, celery, carrots and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Next add the seafood stock, saffron and 2 quarts of water and let simmer for 2 hours or until reduced by half. When stock is finished simmering, strain and hold stock on low heat.
• In a large saute pan or paella pan add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, chorizo, red bell pepper and the remaining 1 cup onion, cook until the onions are translucent, but do not brown. Add rice, salt and pepper to pan and saute until all grains of rice are coated with oil of the pan. Form rice around the pan so it is level, next add 1 cup of broth at a time to the rice; do not stir the rice. When rice is al dente, or 3/4 of the way of being fully cooked, add chicken thighs, shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. Bury the seafood items in the rice so they will cook.
• Add final cup of broth and cover entire pan tightly with another pan or lid. Let sit off heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until seafood is cooked.
• Garnish with scallions and Roma tomatoes

SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Place stock in saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add saffron. Set aside. Rub monkfish with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat remaining oil in 17-inch paella pan, placed over 2 burners if necessary, or divide between two pans. Add onion and garlic and cook over low heat until soft. Add chorizo and saute briefly. Add rice and stir to coat.
• Add stock and stir. Simmer 10 minutes. Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in peas and place strips of peppers, alternating colors, around pan like spokes on a wheel. Place shrimp and monkfish around pan; add mussels, hinge-side down.
• Place in oven and bake until shrimp and monkfish are cooked and mussels have opened, about 15 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside 10 minutes. Scatter scallions on top and serve.

SPANISH PAELLA (WITH CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD)

Steps:

• Heat 3 tbsp oil in large skillet on medium high heat.
• Add chicken pieces and fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden.
• Remove from skillet and season with salt and pepper.
• Add onions and peppers to skillet.
• Sauté 2 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, paprika and thyme.
• Sauté 1 minute and add shrimp.
• Sauté until shrimp turn pink.
• Add 1 Tbsp oil if needed.
• Sprinkle rice into pan.
• Sauté, stirring frequently 2 to 3 minutes or until coated with oil.
• Stir in tomatoes.
• Season well.
• Combine stock and saffron and stir into rice mixture.
• Bring to boil.
• Boil for about 2 minutes, reduce heat to medium.
• Return chicken and push down into rice.
• Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Stock should be bubbling.
• Stir rice around and add shrimp, lima beans, red peppers and clams.
• Cook for 10 minutes longer.
• Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes.
• To serve, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges and green onions.

SEAFOOD-AND-CHICKEN PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a saucepan, combine broth, saffron (if using), and paprika; bring to a simmer and keep warm.
• In a large skillet (at least 12 inches wide), heat oil over medium. Season chicken with salt and pepper. When oil is very hot, cook chicken, skin side down, until skin is golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip, spoon off all but 1 teaspoon fat from skillet, and push chicken to side.
• Add chorizo to skillet and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Add rice; stir to coat thoroughly with tomato-chorizo mixture. Stir in hot broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt (skillet will be very full). Arrange chicken evenly on top, making sure rice is submerged. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring rice occasionally, 8 minutes. Nestle mussels in cooking liquid and cook 2 minutes more. Arrange shrimp on top.
• Place skillet in oven and cook until all liquid is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Let paella stand 10 minutes before serving.

SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Place stock, clam juice, and saffron in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, and blanch sugar snap peas until bright green and just tender, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peas to ice bath; let cool. Drain, and set aside.
• Coat a paella pan (or a 6-quart Dutch oven that measures 11 inches in diameter and 5 inches in height) with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and cook until well browned, turning, about 5 minutes.
• Add shrimp, and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add squid, and cook until opaque, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Transfer seafood and sausage to a plate, and set aside.
• Add onion, garlic, and bell peppers to paella pan; saute until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add uncooked rice; saute until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add 4 cups reserved stock mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and cover. Cook until most liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place remaining cup of stock mixture, cockles, and mussels in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Cover, and bring to boil. Cook until all shells have opened, 2 to 3 minutes; discard any that remain closed.
• Add paprika, black pepper, tomatoes, shrimp, squid, and sausage to rice mixture; combine. Add cockles, mussels, and cooking liquid to mixture, being careful to leave behind any residue in saute pan. Stir in parsley; garnish with peas. Serve immediately.

SPANISH SEAFOOD PAELLA / PAELLA DE MARISCOS

Steps:

• 1. First early in the day prepare a fish broth, I use shrimp shells or a fish head (gills removed)from the fish market. I add about 3 quarts of water, a 1/2 onion 3 cloves garlic a bunch of parsley, a piece of green pepper some salt and pepper and bring to a boil. After it starts to boil reduce the flame and slow simmer add 2 tsps. Asian fish sauce, and a good squeeze anchovy paste. cook for a good hour strain and add a bottle of clam juice, stir and reserve for later. Be sure to keep the broth good and hot on a low flame. These ingredients here are not in the ingredient recipe above as this is an easy recipe for fish broth that cannot be found in the store. I will post recipes for fish & chicken broth within a few days.
• 2. Make a paste with the parsley, garlic, thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt if you have a mini processor this is ideal if not use a mortar & pestle. After grinding add paprika and a little water to make a paste. Set aside for later.
• 3. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Next heat the olive oil in a large paella pan or sauté pan add the half of the diced garlic and quickly sauté being careful not to scorch the garlic. Add the fish, and squid quickly sauté about 1 or 2 minutes remove to a platter.
• 4. Next add to the same pan a little more olive oil and add the diced veggies pimento strips, leeks, onion, lima beans or peas and remaining garlic cook over medium heat until the veggies are somewhat limp. Next raise the heat and add the tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes more.
• 5. Next pour in the rice and stir well in the veggie mix coating all of the rice with the mixture. Now add all the hot broth called for and raise the heat. Bring to a boil for about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.
• 6. Now add the fish, calamari and the paste of garlic and parsley and the salt. Stir well taste to see if it has enough salt. Boil for 2 minutes until some of the broth is absorbed. Paella should still have sufficient liquid at this point.
• 7. Now add the shrimp, mussels and the clams stir just a bit so the seafood gets mixed in the rice and remove the pan to the hot oven. Cook uncovered until the rice grain is soft about 10/12 minutes for a gas oven and 15/20 minutes for an electric oven. After time has elapsed check rice to see if the all the liquid has been absorbed if there is still liquid remove from oven and set on a medium high heat gas or electric burner and cook for one or two minutes uncovered. Do not stir. Then cover with foil, reduce the heat to low and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until rice is cooked. Garnish with pimento strips and lemon wedges. Enjoy, Buen Appetito

SEAFOOD AND CHORIZO PAELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Simmer the chicken stock in a medium saucepan.
• In a 13-inch paella pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until lightly browned; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the onions, peppers and garlic to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine, then stir in the rice and saffron. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 minutes. Pour in 5 cups of the simmering chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and season with salt. Arrange the chorizo and shrimp on top of the rice.
• Set the pan on the floor of the oven or on the lowest oven rack and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. (Do not stir the paella once it goes in the oven.) Scatter the peas over the paella, return to the oven and continue cooking until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender but not too soft, another 5 to 10 minutes. If the rice needs further cooking, add the remaining cup of stock and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
• Let the paella stand at room temperature, covered with foil, for 5 minutes. Serve garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.

BIG PAELLA WITH SEAFOOD AND CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat some oil in a large paella pan or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned, then remove and reserve. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Gently place the chicken in the pan skin-side down and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook on the second side until browned, about 4 minutes more. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, soak the saffron in 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Add the rice to the pan and cook, stirring to coat the rice with oil, until the rice is toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the saffron and its soaking water and stir to combine. Add 5 cups of the stock, any reserved juices from the chicken and the tomatoes and bring the liquid to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the rice, and cook, uncovered, moving the pan around every few minutes and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the rice is quite al dente and has absorbed all the liquid, 12 to 15 minutes. (If the pan gets dry before the rice is ready, add some of the remaining stock.)
• Nestle the clams into the rice hinge-side down and cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the mussels hinge-side down along with the shrimp and chorizo. Top with the peas and cook without stirring until the clams and mussels open and the shrimp turns bright pink, 5 minutes more. When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toasting at the bottom?it will form a dark brown, crispy crust on the bottom called soccarat. Discard any shellfish that does not open. Remove from the heat and serve immediately, family-style.

SEAFOOD, SAUSAGE AND BELL PEPPER PAELLA

Steps:

• Combine oregano, thyme and parsley in small bowl. Transfer half of chopped herbs to processor. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine, peppercorns, coriander, 3 minced garlic cloves, cayenne, salt and vinegar. Blend until coarse paste forms. Place chicken on large plate. Rub all but 2 tablespoons paste mixture over chicken. Cover and chill until ready to use.
• Divide 1/4 cup olive oil between 2 large Dutch ovens or heavy large deep skillets over medium heat. Divide chorizo, onions, tomatoes, ham, salt pork, remaining chopped herbs and remaining 5 minced garlic cloves between Dutch ovens. Cook until onions are soft but not brown, crumbling sausage with fork and stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Transfer chorizo mixture to large bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate remaining 2 tablespoons herb paste, chicken legs and chorizo mixture separately.)
• Divide remaining 1/4 cup olive oil between Dutch ovens. Add half of chicken and Italian sausages to each Dutch oven and cook until brown and partially cooked, turning frequently, about 8 minutes for sausages and 12 minutes for chicken. Transfer to plate. Return half of chorizo mixture to each Dutch oven.
• Meanwhile, bring stock and clam juice to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Add saffron and mix well.
• Add half of rice to each Dutch oven. Cook over high heat until opaque, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Divide remaining herb paste and remaining 7 tablespoons wine between Dutch ovens. Bring to simmer, scraping up any bits. Stir half of stock mixture into each Dutch oven. Divide shrimp, clams, mussels, fish and bay leaves between Dutch ovens. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open.
• Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill and lobster with vegetable oil. Place lobsters on grill shell side down. Add chicken and grill until lobster and chicken are cooked through, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer to large plate. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add Italian sausage and bell peppers to grill and cook until sausage is cooked through and pepper are brown in spots, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Transfer sausages and peppers to another plate. Cut sausages into 2-inch pieces. Cut bell peppers into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
• Divide chicken, lobster, sausage, peppers and peas between Dutch ovens. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Rearrange shellfish and peppers decoratively atop rice. Serve with lime and lemon wedges.

MEXICAN SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• Saute onions, bellpeppers, garlic, and crab legs in olive oil until onions are translucent.
• Add rice to pan. Saute, stirring frequently, until rice turns golden brown.
• Mix Sazón packet with 1 cup of the chicken stock.
• Add wine and Sazón mixture to pan. Stir until liquid is absorbed.
• Add chicken stock, shrimp, and tuna. Stir once, lay lobster on top, making sure to submerge the exposed meat, then cover.
• Cook for 15 minutes. Do not uncover the pan during this time.
• Add peas and tomato. Recover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

PAELLA CUBANA CON CHORIZO, MARISCO Y POLLO (CUBAN PAELLA WITH SAUSAGE, SEAFOOD AND CHICKEN)

Steps:

• 1. STEP 1-STARTING YOUR PAELLA: You will need a paellera or large covered pot.
• 2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high in the paellera. Lightly brown the chicken pieces on both sides, then place the sausage (chorizo) while the chicken is frying. Once the chicken is browned on both sides, remove the chicken and sausage and place them in a large bowl.
• 3. Next place the onions, green bell peppers and garlic in the paellera and saute until the onion is translucent.
• 4. Add the salt, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and wine to the paellera. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• 5. Add the chicken, sausage, rice, water, bay leafs, peas and saffron to the paellera. Stir in all the ingredients well. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for half an hour. The rice should be tender at this point.
• 6. STEP 2-THE FISH PREPARATION: While the rice is cooking, prepare the seafood.
• 7. Heat extra olive oil in a large pan, and saute a few extra sausage pieces in the olive oil. Remove the sausage, then saute the shrimp, pieces of lobster, mahi-mahi and scallops for a couple of minutes.
• 8. Remove the seafood, and mix into the paellera, stirring all of the seafood into the rice.
• 9. Remove paellera from stove, and place in the oven (preheat to 350 degrees). Bake for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
• 10. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve. You may also garnish with sliced red bell peppers, asparagus spears and tomatoes . Enjoy!

GRILLED PAELLA MIXTA (PAELLA WITH SEAFOOD AND MEAT) RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Core and halve the tomatoes. Discard the skins. Y; set aside. 2. Place the shrimp in a medium bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of the paprika, salt pepper. Toss to combine and refrigerate. 3. Place the chicken in a medium bowl and season generously with salt and pepper; set aside. 4. Heat an outdoor grill to high (about 450°F to 550°F). Place a 15inch paella pan on the grill, cover, and heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the chorizo to the pan, close the grill, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is starting to brown and the fat is rendered, about 2 to 3 minutes. transfer the chorizo to a large bowl; set aside. 5. There should be a thin layer of rendered fat in the pan. If there's not enough, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan in a single layer, close the grill, and sear, stirring occasionally, until both sides of the chicken pieces are golden brown, about 6 minutes total. transfer the chicken to the bowl with the chorizo; set aside. 6. Add the onion to the pan, season with salt and pepper, close the grill, and cook, stirring occasionally,until softened, about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed on a gas grill or moving the paella pan to a cooler part of a charcoal grill so that the onions don't burn. Add the garlic, remaining 3/4 teaspoon paprika, and saffron, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 7. Add the reserved tomato pulp and juice and cook until the mixture has slightly darkened in color, 3 minutes. Add the rice and measured salt and stir 8.Add the broth and stir to combine. Arrange the rice mixture in an even layer. Add the broth and stir to combine. Arrange the rice mixture in an even layer. Distribute the reserved chorizo and chicken over the rice, (Do not stir the rice from this point on.) 9. Close the grill and bring the mixture to a lively simmer. Continue to simmer, add shrimp & shellfish hinge down 10.sprinkle with parsley & lemon wedges

SEAFOOD PAELLA CROCKPOT

Steps:

• Grease crock pot and add all veggies except peas. In a medium sauce pan, combine chicken broth, rice and spices. Heat until boiling, then pour over veggies in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. After about 3 hours, add the shrimp, salmon and peas. Once done, let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6. - See more at: http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/2011/10/crockpot-seafood-paella-and-plan-it.html#sthash.JRy1qTHp.dpuf

PAELLA INSPIRED SEAFOOD PASTA WITH A COGNAC CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt half of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add half of the shallots and some of the paella spice blend. Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the cheese and half the garlic and whisk quickly until thick. Add a quarter of the seafood stock, the cognac and lemon zest to the sauce and let this reduce until thick and creamy. Add salt to taste.
• Soak the dried rice noodles in warm water to soften.
• Sprinkle the crab meat, shrimp and lobster with some paella spice blend and salt. Take some of your noodles and lay on a flat surface. Add a portion of crab meat, shrimp and lobster in the middle of the noodles and wrap them. Repeat steps for the "rice noodle bundles of seafood."
• Heat the oil in a heavy pot and deep fry the noodle bundles until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels and season with sea salt immediately.
• In a skillet add the remaining butter, garlic and shallots and cook over medium-high heat. Add the remaining seafood stock and the lemon juice. Add the mussels to the broth and steam until opened.
• Place the fried seafood bundle in the middle of a bowl and spoon sauce around. Place mussels in each corner of the bowl (4 per serving). Garnish with chopped parsley.

CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD PAELLA

Steps:

• (Note: Lobster Stock recipe not shown in video. Make Lobster Stock before commencing with the rest of the paella, or substitute chicken stock.) Lobster Stock: Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a rolling boil; cook lobsters, 5 minutes. Remove lobsters, reserving water. When cool enough to handle, remove the tails and claws, keeping shells intact, and set aside for the paella. Place lobster bodies on a sturdy surface, belly side up. Cut in half, then quarters, keeping shells intact.In a medium stockpot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sauté lobster body pieces, 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring to thoroughly coat the lobster. Deglaze the pan with brandy and cook off the alcohol, about 1 minute; then add onion, carrots, tomato, fennel, and garlic and continue sautéing, 3-5 minutes. Add 6 cups of the reserved lobster water, stir to combine, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2-3 hours. Strain stock into a large bowl, discarding lobster pieces and vegetables. Remove 1 cup of the stock; steep a pinch of saffron threads in the hot liquid for 3-4 minutes, then return the saffron-infused broth to the stock. Reserve Lobster Stock for paella. Sofrito: Dice onions and bell pepper (pieces should be the same size); set aside in separate bowls. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Grate over a bowl flesh-side down and discard tomato skin. Smash garlic cloves and roughly chop; use the back of the knife to crush the garlic, then continue to chop to a rough paste. Set aside. Discard stem and seeds of soaked chile; use a knife gently scrape the flesh from the skin of the pepper. Discard the skin and set flesh aside in a small bowl.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, then 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Stir and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers and chile to the onions; then add the grated tomato and season with salt and pepper. Stir, then add garlic and vinegar. Stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer Sofrito uncovered, stirring occasionally until reduced by two-thirds, about 2 hours. Makes 2 cups Sofrito. (Note: Freeze leftovers in small portions to defrost and use as needed. Even for a quick rice or pasta dish, a bit of this will make all the difference in flavor.)
• Paella: Discard outer casing from chorizo, then dice and set aside. Prepare lobster pieces by cutting across the tail in 2-inch medallions, leaving shells intact. Use the back of a knife to crack the claws. Set lobster aside. Place shrimp and chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• In a paella pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until smoking, 1 minute. Lay chicken pieces skin-side down, then the shrimp, in an even layer to sear. After 30 seconds, turn shrimp, cook 30 more seconds, then remove and set aside. (Shrimp will be lightly seared, not fully cooked.)Continue cooking chicken until the skin is golden brown, 2 minutes; to maintain even heat, use the handles to turn the pan as the chicken cooks. Turn chicken over and add chorizo. Add 1 cup Lobster Stock; it should sizzle and steam when it hits the hot pan. Add 1 cup Sofrito and gently stir to combine and return to active simmer, about 30 seconds.
• When paella is at an active simmer, add rice, distributing evenly in the pan. (Note: An active simmer is important; it helps the rice release its starch, giving paella the proper consistency.) Add another 1½ cups stock; gently stir, and season with a pinch or two of salt. Let simmer, turning the pan as necessary so the heat is evenly distributed. Lower heat to medium-low and continue cooking the paella, adding ½ cup of stock at a time as it absorbs, about 20 minutes.
• Flip the chicken pieces, adding stock to the parts of the pan that look drier. As the paella cooks and the dish firms up, the rice will begin to change from translucent to opaque. Stir gently to allow a bit of socarrat (the crispy bottom that is the prized part of paella) to begin to form on the bottom.
• When the rice has nearly finished cooking (about 25 minutes total), bury the clams into the paella, followed by the mussels. Then layer the shrimp on top. Raise the heat to medium-high.
• Add lobster tail and claw pieces to the pan. Flip the shrimp to let them cook completely through. Check that the chicken is cooked through: Cut into a piece and check that the color is rosy, but not deep pink. Taste the paella for seasoning and add a pinch more salt, if necessary. Finish the paella with a final drizzle of olive oil. Remove the paella pan from the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. (Note: Discard any clams or mussels that have not opened.)