About four weeks ago, I tried the Seafood Paella from 365 Ways to Cook Fish and Shellfish. To be honest, I have never cooked a single item from this cookbook previously. I was given "365" by a friend who was clearing out her cookbook collection, also realizing that she had never actually used the book. Doesn't sound like a winning recommendation, eh?
I'd gotten a burr in my behind to make Paella for some time. I once had a truly magnificent Paella in Provence, France, made by an actually Spanish grandmother. Comfortable with the knowledge that I would never replicate this dish as I had it made by her, I trudged on. I had recently eaten Paella at a friend's house, which was very tasty. Unfortunately, her family does not eat or enjoy the taste of seafood, so hers was a purely chicken and sausage variety. I yearned for a rich seafood paella ever since.
I found the recipe to be straightforward and probably the easiest of all recipes I've attempted so far. I added two Spanish sausages to the Paella, even though the recipe did not call for it. It is a seafood and shellfish cookbook. Not a seafood, shellfish and sausage cookbook. I also had to use vegetable broth instead of the fish stock. I'm the type of girl who often has homemade chicken stock on hand, but I have never had homemade fish stock on hand. Never. Not once. They also did not sell fish stock at my local speciality grocery. Another note: I was concerned about the cost of this meal considering the relative price of seafood. For the seafood ingredients listed in the recipe, plus the sausage, my total came to $15. The recipe made enough for plenty of leftovers, so I actually felt this recipe was quite economical.
The Husband happily ate the Paella for two dinners in one week. My daughter seemed enthusiastic about the Paella, except the mussels, which she refuse to try. Her favorite were the calamari. The did not partake in this recipe as shellfish is something we want to introduce slowly, not as a mixed bag all at once. I definitely recommend this recipe to anyone who enjoy seafood. It may not be as authentic as the Paella I enjoyed in Europe, but any grandmother would happily enjoy it.
The recipe can be found here:
If this is unreadable, please email me and I will send you a better copy.
