Seafood Paella

Instructions

1. Prepare the seafood
   Clean all seafood thoroughly. Devein shrimp, scrub and debeard mussels, slice calamari into rings, and cut fish into 1-inch chunks. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
2. Infuse the broth
   In a medium saucepan, heat the fish stock until warm. Add the crushed saffron threads, stir, and let it infuse for 10 minutes. Keep the broth warm over low heat throughout the cooking process.
3. Prepare the sofrito base
   Heat olive oil in a large paella pan (30-34 inches) over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in bell pepper strips and diced tomatoes, cooking until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes more. Add smoked paprika and stir to combine.
4. Cook the rice
   Add the rice to the paella pan and stir to coat with the sofrito mixture. Pour in the warm saffron-infused broth and stir gently to distribute the rice evenly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, without stirring.
5. Add the seafood
   When the rice has absorbed about half the liquid but is still very moist, arrange the fish chunks into the rice, followed by the calamari rings. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, then add the shrimp and mussels (hinge side down so they open upward). Scatter the frozen peas over the top. Continue to cook without stirring until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 10-15 minutes more.
6. Create the socarrat
   In the final 5 minutes, increase the heat to medium-high to create the socarrat (the crispy caramelized layer of rice at the bottom of the pan). Listen for a gentle crackling sound, but be careful not to burn the rice. Remove from heat when the liquid is fully absorbed and the bottom layer is crispy.
7. Rest and serve
   Remove the paella from heat and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve directly from the paella pan with lemon wedges on the side, instructing guests to squeeze fresh lemon juice over their portion.