Over the Easter weekend, many families will indulge in feasts that are seafood focused.
We approached chef Shawn McKerness of The City Grill for a little help in making the perfect dish that your family and friends will be talking about until the next gathering. He recommended paella.
This is the perfect dish for sharing and larger groups as it can easily be served family style and it is bursting with flavours.
Don’t be intimidated by all the ingredients. It is still a fairly easy dish to make.
Seafood Paella
Yield: 6 portions
Ingredients
- Diced Onion – 4 oz
- Diced Celery – 2 oz
- Diced Carrot – 2 oz
- Diced Fennel root- 4 oz
- Crushed Garlic – 2-3 cloves
- Olive oil- 3 oz
- Chorizo sausage sliced – 6 oz
- Little neck clams- ½ lb
- Mussels –1/2 lb
- Lg shrimp peeled and deveined- 12 each
- Salmon cut in 1 inch cubes- 8 oz
- Bomba rice (or shorter grained rice, not instant) – 2 cups
- Fish stock- 6 cups
- Cumin – tbsp
- Coriander- 1 tsp
- Smoked paprika- 1 tbsp
- Chili flakes- pinch or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In a oven safe skillet heat the olive oil and sweat all the vegetables without browning, just till they are beginning to get tender.
- Add the chorizo sausage and cook stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes.
- Add all of the spices and rice and cook stirring constantly to toast the spices and rice.
- Add the stock and all of the seafood. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes on the stove top, gently stir occasionally.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in an oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes (do not stir once covered in the oven).
- When the clams are all popped open and most of the liquid has been absorbed (which will depend on the type of rice you have) it will be ready to enjoy.
- Drizzle the top with some good olive oil and some chopped fresh cilantro if desired.
