Not sure what to bring to your next outdoor hangout? Paella is always the answer. This classic Spanish dish can be cooked up in a Le Creuset enameled cast iron skillet for easy clean up. Toss it in a casserole dish or serve it straight off the stove. Last step? Find some sangria and one (seriously great) view.
Below, you’ll find the step-by-step recipe from the experts at Le Creuset. Get cooking!
Ingredients
8 head-on prawns, deveined and tails peeled
2 lobster tails, halved lengthwise
Salt and black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 quarts chicken broth
Scant 1/2 teaspoon saffron
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound tomatoes, diced
1 cup (about 4) roasted red peppers, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups short-grain rice, preferably bomba rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup capers
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound calamari, sliced into rings
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
2. In a grill-safe saucepan, heat the chicken broth with saffron. Heat for at least 10 minutes to infuse the broth with flavor and color.
3. Meanwhile, brush the prawns and lobster with two tablespoons of the olive oil, and place on the grill to sear. The lobster should be flesh-side down. Cook until grill marks form, but not until cooked all the way through. Remove and set aside.
4. Remove the broth from the grill. Lower heat to medium-high and place the paella pan on the grill. Add the remaining olive oil to the paella pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic, tomatoes, and red pepper, stirring often. Cook for about eight minutes, and then add the smoked paprika. This creates a thick, flavorful sofrito that will add depth to the paella.
5. Add rice to the pan and cook about one minute. Stir in white wine.
6. Ladle six cups of the warm chicken broth into the paella pan and season with salt. (Reserve two cups in case more liquid is needed.) Distribute the rice evenly across the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the capers and bay leaves. At this point, do not stir the rice anymore.
7. Check the texture of the rice. If it is too al dente, add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until tender. Gently nestle the prawns, lobster, and calamari into the rice, along with another 1/2 cup of broth. Close the lid on the grill and continue to cook, without stirring, until the seafood becomes opaque and the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.
8. Remove the pan from the heat. Cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
9. Remove the bay leaves. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
