Seafood paella
While my husband doesn’t really cook, I am extremely lucky to have married into some other serious food benefits. First, there are the relatives living in Italy who seem to make it their mission to stuff me to the gills every time I visit and second is the fact that one of my mother-in-laws is Julia Child reincarnated.
This woman can cook like nobody’s business, has a serious love of butter, and easy access to lobster given that she lives on Cape Cod. Yep, that’s right, I am ridiculously spoiled.
Layering the paella
Each year she hosts the entire family for a long weekend of binge eating. Every night has a theme, and while each night is amazing, my favorite is Paella night. This isn’t your run of the mill paella. This is done Cape Cod style. What is Cape Cod style you ask? Well, imagine all the amazing-ness of paella and then put a lobster on top. This year I only managed to eat a claw and half a tail. I am truly ashamed of myself and blame it on the 6 pounds of stuffed clams I was served before dinner.
Nikki isn’t one for recipes and measurements so this is what I gleaned from chasing her around all day while she cooked.
Nikki’s Cape Cod Paella
Straight from the ovenNikki’s Cape Cod Paella
Makes approximately 1 paella pan for 8-10 people
- 4 cups of long grain rice
- 1 jar of capers
- 2-3 small yellow onions diced
- 1 can of roasted red peppers sliced
- 1 can of artichoke hearts quarted
- 1 bag of frozen peas
- 1 box of chicken broth
- 3/4 lb of scallops
- 1/2 lb of white fish
- 3/4 lb of shrimp
- 3/4 lb of mussels
- 3/4 lb of clams
- 3-4 lobsters depending on how ridiculous you want to get
- 1 coil of spicy sausage or languiza cut into small bites
- ½ lb of chicken breast cubed
Directions
- Sauté onions in paella pan until translucent
- Cook rice per specifications until slightly underdone.
- Lightly brown chicken and sausage then add to paella pan
- Add rice and all seafood uncooked into paella pan. I suggest “burying” the seafood so that it cooks through and doesn’t dry out.
- Pour in 1/4 cup of broth. Add more if needed.
- Bake entire pan for approximately 40 minutes at 375.
All seafood should be cooked through before serving. Clams and mussels will open their shells when ready. Top with cooked lobster. You can also serve just the claws and tails for a more manageable meal.
