Fabulous Mediterranean Style Scallop Paella Recipes

EASY SEAFOOD PAELLA RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the lobster tails and let boil very briefly (1-2 minutes) until pink. Turn the heat off. Remove the lobster tails with a pair of tongs. Do not discard the lobster cooking water. When the lobster is cool enough to handle, remove the shell and cut into large chunks.
• In a large deep pan or cast iron skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the chopped onions. Saute the onions for 2 minutes then add the rice, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring regularly. Now add the chopped garlic and the lobster cooking water. Stir in the saffron and it's soaking liquid, paprika, cayenne pepper, aleppo pepper, and salt. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and green beans. Bring to a boil and let the liquid slightly reduce, then cover (with lid or tightly with foil) and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
• Uncover and spread the shrimp over the rice, pushing it into the rice slightly. Add a little water if needed. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink. Finally, add the cooked lobster chunks. When the lobster is warmed through, turn heat off. Garnish with parsley.
• Serve the paella hot with your favorite white wine.

MARIA'S PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a very large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Place chicken thighs skin-side down into oil and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes; set aside.
• Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 1 minute. Add green and red bell peppers, calamari, and small shrimp; cook for 2 minutes more.
• Stir in salt, saffron, tomatoes, peas, rice, and water until well combined. Add chicken thighs, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to make sure rice does not stick.
• Decoratively nestle clams and jumbo shrimp into the rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Place the scallops into the paella, recover, and continue simmering until the rice is tender and the scallops firm and opaque, about 5 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges to serve.

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Core and remove the seeds of the red pepper and cut into julienne strips about an inch long.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly; do not brown. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, olives, capers, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Then, remove from heat and keep warm.
• In a large nonstick skillet melt the butter over high heat. When the butter is bubbling, add the scallops. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the scallops. Sprinkle the lemon juice and basil over them and cook and stir briefly.
• Spoon a portion of the tomato mixture onto each of 4 warmed serving plates. Distribute the scallops evenly over the mixture. Serve immediately.

SCALLOP PAELLA

Steps:

• Cook half of onion with half of saffron in 1 tablespoon oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in couscous, then add water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
• While couscous stands, cook bell pepper and remaining onion in 2 teaspoons oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining saffron in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Pat scallops dry and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté 8 scallops, turning over once, until golden brown and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil, then sauté remaining 8 scallops, transferring to plate.
• Heat a dry deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, then cook mussels, covered, shaking skillet occasionally, until mussels just open wide, 3 to 5 minutes. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 5 minutes.) Transfer mussels to a bowl with a slotted spoon, then add clams to skillet and cook, covered, shaking skillet occasionally, until clams just open wide, 6 to 10 minutes. (Discard any clams that remain unopened after 10 minutes.) Add shrimp to clams along with chorizo, mussels, cooked vegetables, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until shrimp is just cooked through, about 1 minute. Stir in couscous, scallops, and peas until heated through.

SUMMER PAELLA WITH LOBSTER, MUSSELS, SCALLOPS, AND WINE

Steps:

• *Note-if you do not want to work with a live lobster, substitute two frozen, in-shell, 12 ounce tails, thawed and split in half lengthwise.
• Heat the broth, clam juice, and saffron in a saucepan until steaming but not simmering; decrease heat to very low, cover, and keep warm without boiling.
• Position oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 375°.
• Heat a 14-inch paella pan over medium heat; swirl in the olive oil, then add the onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes, until translucent.
• Add in the garlic; cook for 30 seconds.
• Stir in the tomatoes; keep cooking, stirring frequently, until they begin to break down, about 3 minutes.
• Add in the wine; bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits in the pan.
• Increase heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
• Then stir in the rice and the warmed broth; bring to a simmer; decrease heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, set the lobster on a lipped cutting board to catch any internal juices; plunge the tip of a sharp knife into its head about ½ inch behind its eye stalks, thereby piercing the brain and instantly killing it; slice the lobster in half lengthwise.
• Stir the green beans into the simmering rice, then set the mussels around the perimeter of the pan, partially submerging them.
• Arrange the scallops in the pan in a circle inside the mussels, partially submerging them as well; and then lay the lobster halves in the center of the pan cut side down.
• Place in the oven; bake for 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is fairly tender.
• Transfer to a wire rack, cover tightly with foil, and set aside for 10 minutes.
• If desired, remove the lobster meat from the shell and place on top of the paella before serving.