Paella without mussels

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 8 large prawns, if possible wild caught
• 300 g prawns, small
• 200 g fish fillet(s) (pike-perch)
• 200 g monkfish fillet(s)
• 200 g redfish fillet(s)
• 600 g chicken breast fillet(s)
• 1 red bell pepper(s)
• 1 bell pepper(s), yellow
• 6 tomatoes, aromatic
• 1 large onion(s), red
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 100 peas, fresh or frozen if necessary
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 liter of fish stock, preferably from your fishmonger
• 1 tsp, heaped turmeric
• 1 g saffron, good variety
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 300 g rice (short grain), if possible Spanish paella rice
• salt and pepper
• 1 lemon(s)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

First, rinse the chicken breast fillets, remove any tendons and skin, and then dice them into bite-sized pieces. Wash the peppers, quarter them, remove the innards, and then cut them into thin strips or (a bit more labor-intensive) dice them. Wash and divide the tomatoes, remove the innards, and dice them. Dice the onion. Rinse the fish fillets, pat them dry, and cut them into fairly small pieces. I have my fishmonger prepare the large prawns for me, which means peeling them (but leaving the head on) and removing the guts. If that’s not possible, you’ll just have to do it yourself. Unfortunately, the small prawns are often only available frozen, but then they’re usually ready to cook. I take a small ladleful of the fish stock and stir in the saffron. For a better flavor, I fry the fish fillets in melted butter in a nonstick pan for about 2-3 minutes. I follow the same procedure with the small prawns, except I fry them in olive oil. However, the large prawns are only fried in oil for about 1.5 minutes on each side shortly before the paella is ready, seasoned with pepper, and later garnished on top of the paella. Not everyone has a “real” paella pan at home; a regular stainless steel or iron pan with a diameter of about 32-34 cm and a height of about 6 cm will do. First, heat the olive oil in the pan. Then sear the chicken breast pieces, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Next comes the rice, which is only briefly sautéed. I then push the food to the edge of the pan and fry the tomato paste in the empty center. This will make it more aromatic and lose some of its sweetness. The whole thing is then filled with 2/3 of the fish stock. I only need the rest of the fish stock as a reserve if I feel the liquid is evaporating too quickly. Now add the peas, turmeric, and saffron, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes. If possible, the paella should not be stirred during this time. After the time is up, add the fish pieces and the small prawns and stir them in gently. Let the pan simmer for another 2-3 minutes with the pan uncovered. Arrange the large prawns, which have been cooked in the meantime, nicely on top of the paella and serve the whole thing in the pan. I cut the lemons into wedges and added them in a small bowl. Admittedly, this paella is not a cheap dish. Fish fillets, prawns, and not least the saffron, all come at a price, even if they are good quality. But it is also a feast for the palate, and your guests will be delighted. I refrained from using any kind of mussels because we simply don’t like them.