40 Meatless Meals- Seafood Paella

PAELLA BIGGER THAN YOUR HEAD!

Be forewarned- it multiplies faster than the loaves and...er, fish. I had to switch pots partway because it got too big.

My husband and I became paella lovers when we made a batch for a celebration of St Anthony of Padua a couple summers ago. My paella is a flexible recipe that incorporates whatever I might have in the apartment with some fresh seafood. In the past I have used smoked salmon, shrimp, and scallops.

Paella [serves 8.... but I only meant to make enough for 4]

2 T vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
3/4 lb seafood [last night I used 1/2 lb fresh catfish, 1/2 can clams, & a 3 oz pouch of salmon]
1 cup fish or vegetable stock [I used the clam juice]
1/2 cup white wine [substitute water and a dash of vinegar instead]
1-1/2 cups vegetables [eg 1/2 cup green beans, 1/2 cup bell peppers, & 1/2 cup canned corn]
1 T basil
2 T turmeric [a saffron substitute for the rest of us]
2 T tomato paste
cayenne pepper, to taste
salt & pepper to taste
splash of lemon juice
2 cups rice, uncooked

Cook rice according to package directions.

In a large stockpot, heat the garlic in the oil until lightly brown. Add any fresh seafood and cook through, about 7-10 minutes depending on quantity. Add remaining seafood, vegetables, and stock; cook at a low heat until vegetables are tender. Add the cooked rice, wine, lemon juice, tomato paste, and spices, combining well, and adding additional water or stock as needed. It's as easy as that.

I put hot sauce on almost anything; my husband, likes to supplement this with grated Parmesan cheese.

The moister the paella is initially, the better it keeps, especially if you freeze it. Some like it hot, some like it cold... and it has been known to last nine days.