Cajun Valencian Seafood Paella
Cajun Valencian Seafood Paella
Ingredients
For the Seafood
- 4 1/2 pounds large shrimp, 16/20 count, shell-on
- 3 pounds sea scallops, side muscle removed
- as needed Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
For the Rice and Base
- 6 cups Bomba rice, or similar short-grain rice
- 11 1/2 cups seafood stock, hot
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 yellow onions, large, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups ripe tomato, grated or crushed San Marzano
- 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- large pinch saffron, bloomed in warm stock
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, to 3 tablespoons
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For Serving
- as needed lemon wedges
Instructions
- 1
Peel the shrimp and reserve all the shells. Set the peeled shrimp aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Place the reserved shrimp shells in a saucepan with the hot seafood stock. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to enhance the stock's flavor. Strain the stock, discarding the shells, and keep the stock hot.
⏱️ 20 min
- 3
Pat the sea scallops very dry with paper towels. Lightly season both the peeled shrimp and the dried scallops with Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Bloom a large pinch of saffron in a small amount of the warm, strained seafood stock. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Heat 3/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil in a wide paella pan over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Add the 1 1/2 large finely diced yellow onions to the pan and cook until they are soft and lightly golden, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 8 min
- 7
Stir in the 8 cloves of minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Add the 2 cups of grated ripe tomato (or crushed San Marzano) and 2 1/2 teaspoons of smoked paprika to the pan. Cook this mixture, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, becomes jammy, and the oil begins to separate. This step should not be rushed and will take about 10 to 12 minutes.
⏱️ 12 min
- 9
Stir in the 6 cups of Bomba rice (or similar short-grain rice) and coat it thoroughly in the sofrito for 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Carefully pour in the 11 1/2 to 12 cups of hot, strained seafood stock with the bloomed saffron. Season the liquid with 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons of Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed; it should be bold but balanced.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Spread the rice evenly across the paella pan. From this point forward, do not stir the rice again.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Bring the paella to a strong simmer for 8 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium.
⏱️ 8 min
- 13
At minute 10 of the cooking process (after the initial 8 minutes of strong simmering), nestle the seasoned shrimp evenly into the rice.
⏱️ 1 min
- 14
At minute 14 of the cooking process, add the seasoned scallops, pressing them lightly into the surface of the rice.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Continue to cook the paella until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. The total cooking time for the rice should be about 20 to 22 minutes.
⏱️ 8 min
- 16
To form the socarrat (a light crust on the bottom), increase the heat to high for 60 to 90 seconds. Listen for a gentle crackling sound, but be careful not to burn the rice.
⏱️ 2 min
- 17
Remove the paella from the heat and let it rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 18
Sprinkle the 2 1/2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley over the top of the paella.
⏱️ 1 min
- 19
Serve the Cajun Valencian Seafood Paella directly from the pan with lemon wedges on the side.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Cajun Valencian Seafood Paella
For the Seafood
- 4 1/2 pounds large shrimp, 16/20 count, shell-on
- 3 pounds sea scallops, side muscle removed
- as needed Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
For the Rice and Base
- 6 cups Bomba rice, or similar short-grain rice
- 11 1/2 cups seafood stock, hot
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 yellow onions, large, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups ripe tomato, grated or crushed San Marzano
- 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- large pinch saffron, bloomed in warm stock
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning, to 3 tablespoons
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For Serving
- as needed lemon wedges
Instructions
- 1
Peel the shrimp and reserve all the shells. Set the peeled shrimp aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Place the reserved shrimp shells in a saucepan with the hot seafood stock. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to enhance the stock's flavor. Strain the stock, discarding the shells, and keep the stock hot.
⏱️ 20 min - 3
Pat the sea scallops very dry with paper towels. Lightly season both the peeled shrimp and the dried scallops with Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Bloom a large pinch of saffron in a small amount of the warm, strained seafood stock. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Heat 3/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil in a wide paella pan over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Add the 1 1/2 large finely diced yellow onions to the pan and cook until they are soft and lightly golden, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 8 min - 7
Stir in the 8 cloves of minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Add the 2 cups of grated ripe tomato (or crushed San Marzano) and 2 1/2 teaspoons of smoked paprika to the pan. Cook this mixture, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, becomes jammy, and the oil begins to separate. This step should not be rushed and will take about 10 to 12 minutes.
⏱️ 12 min - 9
Stir in the 6 cups of Bomba rice (or similar short-grain rice) and coat it thoroughly in the sofrito for 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Carefully pour in the 11 1/2 to 12 cups of hot, strained seafood stock with the bloomed saffron. Season the liquid with 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons of Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed; it should be bold but balanced.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Spread the rice evenly across the paella pan. From this point forward, do not stir the rice again.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Bring the paella to a strong simmer for 8 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium.
⏱️ 8 min - 13
At minute 10 of the cooking process (after the initial 8 minutes of strong simmering), nestle the seasoned shrimp evenly into the rice.
⏱️ 1 min - 14
At minute 14 of the cooking process, add the seasoned scallops, pressing them lightly into the surface of the rice.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Continue to cook the paella until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. The total cooking time for the rice should be about 20 to 22 minutes.
⏱️ 8 min - 16
To form the socarrat (a light crust on the bottom), increase the heat to high for 60 to 90 seconds. Listen for a gentle crackling sound, but be careful not to burn the rice.
⏱️ 2 min - 17
Remove the paella from the heat and let it rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 18
Sprinkle the 2 1/2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley over the top of the paella.
⏱️ 1 min - 19
Serve the Cajun Valencian Seafood Paella directly from the pan with lemon wedges on the side.
⏱️ 1 min