Spanish paella recipe

 Paella is a delicious Spanish dish that typically includes rice, saffron, and a variety of ingredients such as seafood, chicken, and vegetables. Here's a basic recipe for traditional seafood paella. Keep in mind that there are many regional variations, so you can customize it to your liking.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of bomba or Calasparra rice (or any short-grain rice)
• 1 lb (450g) mixed seafood (e.g., shrimp, mussels, clams, squid)
• 1/2 lb (225g) chicken thighs or rabbit (optional)
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced bell pepper (red or green)
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (or canned diced tomatoes)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken or seafood broth
• A pinch of saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges and fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, shallow paella pan or a wide skillet over medium heat. If you have a traditional paella pan, that's ideal, but any wide, shallow pan will work.

2. Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they soften.

3. Stir in the minced garlic and diced tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens.

4. If you're using chicken or rabbit, add it now. Cook until it's browned on all sides.

5. Add the paprika and saffron threads, stirring well to coat all the ingredients.

6. Pour in the rice and stir to combine with the other ingredients. Toast the rice for a minute or two.

7. Pour the chicken or seafood broth into the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow it to simmer and reduce for about 10-15 minutes.

8. Arrange the seafood over the rice. Push the mussels and clams into the rice, hinge side down, for them to open. Place the shrimp and squid on top.

9. Once the seafood is in place, avoid stirring the paella. Let it cook without stirring to develop a socarrat, a crispy rice crust on the bottom. This will take about 15-20 minutes. If the rice looks dry before it's fully cooked, add a bit more broth.

10. Once the rice is cooked and has a golden crust on the bottom, remove the paella from heat.

11. Cover the paella with a clean kitchen towel or aluminum foil and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. This will help the flavors meld.

12. Garnish the paella with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Serve your delicious seafood paella with a good Spanish wine and enjoy your taste of Spain!

Feel free to customize your paella by adding other ingredients like artichokes, green beans, or roasted red peppers. Paella is a versatile dish, so make it your own!