Paella is best known for its Spanish and seafood roots and its rice that really makes the dish hearty and holds the seafood together. Many enjoy using bomba rice which is a short-grain rice similar to arborio. This recipe, courtesy of Scout Canning co-founder Chef Charlotte Langley, uses the brand’s Canned Seafood Line which makes it a fabulous recipe for weeknights as well as using what you have in your pantry. Chef Charlotte says, “I suggest you add the canned lobster, mussels, and our trout towards the end of the cooking time to stay warm and ensure tenderness.”
Paella translates to the special pan that is used to make the dish but for this recipe, you can use any wide and shallow pan that you have at home. Wondering what the perfect wine pairing is? Chef suggests pairing this paella with a full-bodied red wine, such as a Baco Noir or a Cabernet Franc.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 Tin of Scout Lobster
- 1 Tin of Scout Trout
- 1 Tin of Scout Mussels
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 4 cups fish or chicken stock
- 1 cup tomato passata
- 1 Spanish onion
- 50 grams smoked paprika
- 20 grams saffron
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
- 3 tomatoes, quartered
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F
- Toast rice on a cookie sheet in the oven until lightly toasted or the colour of caramel
- On another cookie sheet, slice tomato and fennel in larger pieces and roast the same time as you toast the rice
- In a small container place the wine, and the saffron to let the saffron bloom
- In a medium-sized pot bring chicken stock and tomato passata to a simmer and taste for seasoning
- In your “Paella Pan,” sweat diced onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent: approximately 5-7 minutes
- Deglaze with the red wine with the saffron and add the smoked paprika
- Stir the toasted rice into this mixture and cover with the stock and tomato liquid
- Place the pieces of tomato and fennel into the rice and place in oven for 25 minutes or until the edges start to become crispy
- Open Scout Seacuterie line and garnish with the lobster, trout and mussels and return to the oven for 5 minutes to heat through.
- Remove from oven and drizzle with the lobster oil and butter and serve with crusty bread and a light salad.
Recipe: Chef Charlotte Langley, Recipe: Scout
