Late one night on TV I saw a recipe for a squid paella, and I’m so glad I did! The recipe has been used by a family restaurant in Spain for 88 years. I made a few small changes to suit my taste, and added a few spices, and I now cook it nearly every time we catch some fresh squid. Everyone who has tasted it can’t wait to have it again!
This is a fairly easy dish to make, as all the cooking is done in one paella dish. Pre-preparation takes a good half hour (then half an hour in the oven), but it’s time well spent. After all the ingredients are chopped, the rest is easy.
The saffron that you put in, along with lots of paprika, is what gives the dish its wonderful smell and taste. Whatever you, do be generous with the saffron. I know it’s expensive but it really makes this dish.
I enjoy catching squid and cooking it in a variety of ways, such as grilled, baked, stuffed squid tempura and black ink pasta. However, I think the squid paella is our favourite – or maybe equal first with tempura! So give it a try, enjoy the taste of the sea and remember the fresher the squid the better. And please don’t skin it or throw the wings (flaps) away! The whole fresh squid tastes best with the skin on. Enjoy!
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Ingredients
2-3 medium size squid
6 cloves garlic chopped finely
½ cup olive oil
2 medium onion diced
1/2 a red capsicum, 1/2 a green capsicum
5 fresh tomatoes skinned and chopped or 1 can chopped tomatoes
4-5 fresh bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme and 2 sprigs Italian parsley chopped
1 hot chilli to taste (optional)
1 tsp paprika with a pinch of saffron
1 cup paella rice
3 cups fish stock (heated)
34cm round paella dish
Reads: 3156![](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_1.jpg)
![Preheat oven to 180°C. Dice the vegetables. Cut squid into strips. Leave the skin on, flaps on and use the tentacles as well.](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_2.jpg)
Preheat oven to 180°C. Dice the vegetables. Cut squid into strips. Leave the skin on, flaps on and use the tentacles as well.
![Sauté garlic and bay leaves in olive oil.](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_3.jpg)
Sauté garlic and bay leaves in olive oil.
![Add squid and stir continually. Season with salt and pepper and push mixture around the side of the dish (in a circle) leaving a well in the centre. Add the onion and sauté.](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_4.jpg)
Add squid and stir continually. Season with salt and pepper and push mixture around the side of the dish (in a circle) leaving a well in the centre. Add the onion and sauté.
![Mix the onion with the squid, and again move to the outer edge. Add the capsicum and sauté.](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_5.jpg)
Mix the onion with the squid, and again move to the outer edge. Add the capsicum and sauté.
![Mix the capsicum with squid mixture and again move to the side, leaving a well in the centre. Repeat the process with the tomatoes and the herbs.](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_6.jpg)
Mix the capsicum with squid mixture and again move to the side, leaving a well in the centre. Repeat the process with the tomatoes and the herbs.
![Add the rice. Sauté the rice to coat it, and mix it in well with squid mixture.](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_7.jpg)
Add the rice. Sauté the rice to coat it, and mix it in well with squid mixture.
![Add the saffron and paprika, then add hot fish stock. Mix well and keep mixing so rice doesn’t stick. Let it come to the boil and reduce heat a little (approx. 10-15 minutes).](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_8.jpg)
Add the saffron and paprika, then add hot fish stock. Mix well and keep mixing so rice doesn’t stick. Let it come to the boil and reduce heat a little (approx. 10-15 minutes).
![Put the paella into a preheated 180°C oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until rice has softened and the liquid has been completely absorbed. Enjoy!](/img/uploads/297af378a3eabd86980002b2908bcfef_SperoPaella_9.jpg)
Put the paella into a preheated 180°C oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until rice has softened and the liquid has been completely absorbed. Enjoy!