Seafood paella by chef Aziz Obidzhanov
«The most important thing in paella is not the amount of seafood, but the flavor of the broth and respect for the rice. If the rice is cooked properly, it becomes the star of the dish itself, ” said Aziz Obidzhanov, chef of the Quadro restaurant, sharing his take on preparing one of Spain’s most iconic dishes.
Ingredients (for 2–3 servings)
Rice (Arborio or Avangard type)200 g
Shrimps 150 g
Mussels 200 g
Squid 100 g
Olive oil40 ml
Garlic 3 cloves
Tomatoes (fresh or pulp)150 g
Smoked paprika1 tsp
Saffron a pinch
Chicken or fish brothabout 600 ml
Salt to taste
White wine50 ml
Green peas (optional)50 g
Lemon for serving
Рецепт
- Heat olive oil in a wide pan (paellera is ideal).
- Fry the seafood with garlic and butter until golden brown — this will add depth to the flavour.
- Add garlic, then tomatoes. Reduce until concentrated.
- Add paprika and immediately deglaze with wine.
- Add rice and slightly heat it in the sofrito (1–2 minutes) so that it absorbs the aroma.
- Pour in hot broth, add saffron. Important: do not stir the rice from this point on — this is the key to the right texture.
- Add shrimps, mussels, squid and green peas.
- Socarrat (the trick): at the end, increase the heat for 1–2 minutes to form a light caramelized crust at the bottom.
- Remove from heat and let it «rest» for 5 minutes.
- Serve directly in the pan, with lemon wedges. Before serving, you can lightly sprinkle with good olive oil and garnish with basil.