Paella

Cut the onion 🧅 onion1 into small pieces and poach it in olive oil 🫒 olive oilas neededideally olive oil, but any vegetable oil works; copious amounts, the tomato has to fry in it in the pan 🍳 paella pan or large frying pan over medium heat for about 10 min, until it’s all yellow and very soft, but not burned. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick to the bottom or burn: the onion burns quickly.

Blend the tomatoes 🍅 tomatoes500 gcanned or fresh, any kind as long as it's ripe (maduros) and soft, almost falling apart when cut; San Marzano canned tomatoes are great (Kirkland from Costco works well) in a blender 🌀 blender for about 1 min, with about one teaspoon of sugar 🍬 sugar1 tsp and a teaspoon or two of salt 🧂 saltto taste , until you have a sauce. Taste it: it should be clearly salty but not oversalted, and it must not taste acidic. If the acidity still comes through, add more sugar until it’s gone.

Pour the tomato sauce into the pan with the onions and cook over high to medium-high heat for about 3-4 min, with plenty of olive oil 🫒 olive oilas neededideally olive oil, but any vegetable oil works; copious amounts, the tomato has to fry in it in the pan: the tomato has to fry in it, so don’t be shy. Beware of splatters: with all that oil it splashes a lot, so wear an apron or clothes you don’t mind staining, or use a splatter screen 🛡️ splatter screen to cut down the splashes.

Lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 min until most of the water has evaporated and it turns an intense red, but check by eye and taste. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick or burn at the bottom: the sofrito burns quickly. When it’s done it should taste salty, with that umami flavor of a good tomato sofrito; if it’s not salty enough, add more salt 🧂 saltto taste .

While making the sofrito, season the chicken wings 🍗 chicken wings450 gor small-cut pork ribs with paprika 🌶️ paprika1 tsp , salt 🧂 saltto taste , black pepper 🧂 black pepperto taste and garlic powder 🧄 garlic powder1 tsp , then leave them to marinate in the fridge for a little while, covered.

Add the seasoned chicken wings 🍗 chicken wings450 gor small-cut pork ribs (or small-cut pork ribs) to the paella pan 🍳 paella pan and cook them for about 5 min per side, until they look golden and juicy on both sides, then take them out and set them aside. When you start the chicken, also put the stock 🍲 stock1.5 lchicken broth, ideally bone broth for better flavor; you can also use the water from steaming the mussels, or fish broth on to heat.

Cut the squid 🦑 squid225 gtentacles or body, whichever you prefer, cut in squares (optional) into small pieces and set it aside.

Clean the mussels 🦪 mussels500 g well, removing all the debris they carry, and rinse them under running water.

Put them in a pot with lid 🥘 pot with lid with a finger of water and salt 🧂 saltto taste , a garlic 🧄 garlic0.5 clove clove, a bay leaf 🌿 bay leaf0.25 and a lemon 🍋 lemon0.5 slices1 slice slice, plus a splash of white wine 🍷 white wineas neededoptional, a splash if you’re using it.

Cover the pot 🥘 pot with lid and steam until every mussel 🦪 mussels500 g is fully open, about 3-4 min: don’t stop before they’re all open, but don’t overcook them either.

Dress them with a drizzle of olive oil 🫒 olive oilas needed ; you can also dress them with lemon 🍋 lemon0.5 slices1 slice , mayonnaise, etc.

Add the sofrito to the pan, lower the heat a bit so it doesn’t burn, and fry it a little more (it should already have enough oil).

Add the squid 🦑 squid225 gtentacles or body, whichever you prefer, cut in squares (optional) and cook it for about 3 min, then add some shelled mussels 🦪 mussels500 g .

Add the rice 🍚 paella rice600 gthe broth ratio depends on the rice: Spanish extra or arborio take about 2:1 (twice as much broth), bomba can take 3-4:1 depending on the brand and toast it for about 2 min, letting it absorb the juices. When you add it, the rice should look red: if it doesn’t, you need more sofrito.

Add the hot stock 🍲 stock1.5 lchicken broth, ideally bone broth for better flavor; you can also use the water from steaming the mussels, or fish broth (it must be hot when it goes in) and return the chicken wings 🍗 chicken wings450 gor small-cut pork ribs to the pan. Mix the broth with the sofrito and taste it: it needs to be salty, so add salt 🧂 saltto taste if there’s not enough, and season with black pepper 🧂 black pepperto taste .

Start on strong heat; when the broth comes to a boil, lower it to a gentle simmer (chup chup) and leave it, tilting and moving the pan around so it cooks evenly, with the saffron 🌼 saffronto tasteoptional if you’re using it. Don’t stir once the rice starts absorbing the liquid, or it will come out wrong.

When the rice starts showing through the broth, taste it: if it’s not done yet, add a little more boiling stock 🍲 stock1.5 lchicken broth, ideally bone broth for better flavor; you can also use the water from steaming the mussels, or fish broth (salted water only as a last resort). When the broth is mostly absorbed, raise the heat a little for about a minute to create a bit of socarrat at the bottom, then turn off the heat and let it rest for about 5 min, finishing on its own heat so it doesn’t overcook.

Serve: arrange the whole mussels and any extra chicken wings 🍗 chicken wings450 gor small-cut pork ribs on top in a nice formation, with lemon 🍋 lemon1optional, for serving, cut in wedges wedges and the allioli on the side.