Equipment
Ingredients
Seafood & Rice
- 300 g bomba rice
- 8 carabineros prawns, whole
- 350 g squid, cleaned and sliced into thin rings and tentacles
Broth & Sofrito Base
- 1000 ml seafood stock, hot
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 0.2 g saffron threads
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic, finely minced
- 5 g sweet smoked paprika
- 150 g crushed tomatoes, pureed
Homemade Alioli
- 2 garlic, crushed into a paste
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 100 ml sunflower oil
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat 15ml of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the reserved Carabinero prawn heads and sear for 3 minutes, pressing down on them heavily with a spatula to release their bright red, deeply flavorful juices.
Deglaze the saucepan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Once the wine has reduced by half, pour in the hot seafood stock. Bring to a simmer at 90°C/195°F, cook for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, discarding the solids. Keep the enriched broth hot.
Prepare the alioli. In a tall narrow container, combine the crushed garlic paste, room temperature egg yolk, lemon juice, and salt. Note: Raw eggs carry a risk of salmonella; use pasteurized yolks if serving pregnant or immunocompromised guests. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture while pouring the neutral oil and olive oil in a very slow, thin, steady stream until thick and emulsified. Refrigerate until serving.
Place the paella pan over medium heat and add the remaining 45ml of olive oil. Add the cleaned squid rings and tentacles. Sauté briefly for 2 minutes until just opaque, then push them to the outer edges of the pan where it is slightly cooler.
In the center of the pan, add the minced garlic, sweet smoked paprika, and pureed tomatoes. Cook this sofrito mixture, stirring constantly, until the tomato reduces, deepens in color, and becomes thick and jammy.
Sprinkle the bomba rice and crushed saffron threads evenly into the pan. Stir everything together so the rice is coated in the sofrito, oil, and squid. Toast the rice for 2 minutes to develop flavor.
Carefully pour the hot enriched seafood broth over the rice. Shake the pan gently to distribute the rice in an even layer. Do not stir the rice from this point forward. Boil vigorously at 100°C/212°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for another 10 minutes as the liquid is absorbed.
Arrange the raw Carabinero prawn tails elegantly on top of the rice. Continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid has fully evaporated, the prawn tails are pink and firm, reaching an internal temperature of 60°C/140°F, and you hear a distinct crackling sound at the bottom of the pan indicating the socarrat (crust) is forming.
Remove the pan from the heat. Cover loosely with aluminum foil or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows the residual heat to finish cooking the rice and the starches to settle. Serve straight from the pan with dollops of the chilled alioli.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to this dish's profound flavor lies entirely in the Carabinero heads. Do not skip pressing them heavily during the searing phase; their internal juices contain the essence of the scarlet prawn.
- Bomba rice is essential here as it expands width-wise and absorbs up to three times its volume in liquid without bursting or becoming mushy like standard short-grain rice.
- Never stir the pan once the broth has been added. Stirring activates the starches and will result in a creamy risotto texture rather than the dry, distinct grains required for authentic Spanish rice dishes.
- Using a mix of neutral oil and olive oil in the alioli prevents the sauce from becoming overwhelmingly bitter or heavy, which can happen if using 100 percent extra virgin olive oil.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store alioli separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat rice gently with a splash of water; texture will soften.
