The best rice for this octopus paella is bomba or Calasparra, which absorb liquid easily and maintain their shape. But arborio rice (risotto rice) is also a short-grain rice that’s widely available and works well as a substitute
| Created by | Spinneys |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 40 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Cuisine | Spanish |
| Diet | Other |
| Preparation | Moderate |
| Calories | 395 |
| Fat | 13g |
| Saturates | 2g |
| Protein | 19g |
| Carbs | 50g |
| Sugars | 3g |
| Given the cook-at-home nature of Spinneys and natural variations in ingredients, nutritional information is approximated. See details | |
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
Download PDFSoak the saffron threads in the warm water and set aside. Peel the garlic cloves. Grate the tomatoes.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, shallow paella pan over a medium heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, then add the grated tomato and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until thickened and reduced. Stir in the smoked paprika and saffron with its soaking water. Cook for 1 minute, then stir in the squid rings and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just starting to firm up.
Add the rice, stirring to coat. Pour in the hot fish stock, season with salt and spread the rice evenly across the pan. Do not stir again from this point.
Chop one octopus leg and reserve the other.
After 20 minutes, arrange the mussels and chopped octopus over the top, pressing them slightly into the rice. Cook for 5-7 minutes, covered loosely with foil or a lid, until the mussels open. Discard any that remain closed.
To make the socarrat, uncover the pan and increase the heat for the last 2-3 minutes to form a golden crust on the bottom (listen for gentle crackling). Don’t stir!
While the socarrat forms, heat a small pan with a touch of oil and sear the reserved whole octopus tentacle until golden and slightly crisp. Lay it over the centre of the finished paella just before serving. Remove from heat and let the paella rest for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over some of the chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges. For extra aroma, rub the lemon wedges around the pan’s edge before serving.
