Mixed Seafood Paella
I am notorious for being indecisive. Now you know why I frequently post “this or that” questions for you to all decide for me on Facebook so I don’t have to! After 10 years together, my husband has learned to love me despite this fault, although it used to drive him crazy. When we’re out to eat, he even offers to order my runner up dish when I can’t decide what to chose from the menu.
I’m also a people pleaser and always worry about making the wrong decision and letting someone down. We were having friends for dinner last month and I wanted to make paella. I didn’t know whether they liked seafood paella, strictly meat or a vegetarian paella so after going back and forth I took the leap and decided to throw everything but the kitchen sink into it.
Paella is a traditional Spanish dish of short-grain rice, saffron and good quality olive oil. There are 3 different popular versions: seafood, vegetarian, or mixed meat and seafood. Keeping with the theme of my indecisiveness, my favorite is the mixed version The variety of seafood balances the spice of the chorizo and gives it a subtle smooth flavor. Plus it keeps me from having to chose and I get the best of all worlds!
Being grain-free, the traditional short-grain rice that is normally used is not an option to me, so I used cauliflower chopped up very finely to resemble rice grains. Once cooked, the “riced” cauliflower tenderizes and mimics the consistency of rice Cauliflower rice is nothing new to the grain-free world, but it is extremely versatile. I use a spiced saffron cauli-rice when I make Indian food to serve under the rich sauces. You really can substitute it for any of your favorite rice dishes. Try using it in this Cajun Dirty Rice, Vietnamese Fried Rice, or just as a simple side dish with butter and seasoning.
Never cooked shellfish before? Don’t'fret. I didn’t have much experience with it either before this dish but it’s really simple. If you don’t like seafood, feel free to make this Paella your own. Add more chicken or sausage, or replace the meat with vegetables. You will want to use the largest shallow skillet you have so the cauli-rice cooks evenly. I use this oval skillet from Le Creuset. It’s not meant to be a paella pan necessarily, but it works perfectly!
- 1½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup clam stock (use all chicken broth if you omit seafood)
- 6 littleneck clams, scrubbed clean
- 6 mussels, scrubbed clean
- ½ pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces chorizo sausage, casing removed and crumbled (homemade or nitrate free)
- 2 chicken thighs, cubed (boneless and skinless)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 head cauliflower (about 4 cups chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- lemon wedges for garnish
- Place the cauliflower floretts in a blender or food processor, and chop finely until it resembles short-grain rice. Set off to the side.
- Combine the chicken stock and clam juice in a saucepan set over medium heat. Keep warm while you cook the meat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown the chicken on all sides.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, onion, garlic, tomatoes, salt, paprika, pepper, and saffron. Continue to sauté for another 7 minutes until the onions have softened.
- Pour ¾ cup of the broth mixture into the skillet, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the riced cauliflower and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Bring the remaining broth to a boil, then add the clams and mussels. Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes, until the shells have opened up. Discard any that haven’t opened. Remove the shellfish with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until pink. Set aside with the shellfish.
- When the cauliflower is tender and most of the juices have evaporated, nestle the shrimp, clams, and mussels into the paella. Cook for another 10 minutes then remove from the heat. Let the paella stand for 10 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve each dish with a lemon wedge. Paella is best with a squeeze of fresh lemon right before eating.
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[...] you Against All Grain [...]
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[...] I am frequently asked what tool is essential to have in a grain-free kitchen. My answer is usually a good set of knives, a good blender, and a food processor. I most often use a food processor in baked goods like my Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies to grind the nut flours extremely fine so they have the texture of regular flour or to make rice from cauliflower florets. [...]
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[...] Here’s some more photos that didn’t quite make the cut! Featured is my Paleo Paella which you can find the recipe for here. [...]
Looks awesome! I was wondering what brand of chorizo you use. All the brands in the markets by me contain either soy flour, wheat flour or modified food starch (I can’t do soy or grains). I really miss chorizo!
I either make my own or buy the one at whole foods in their meat counter. I’ll add the link to the homemade
Awesome thanks!
This looks delicious! So bright and summery! I don’t have much experience preparing mussels and clams, but I want to cook them more. This recipe would be a great place to start!
I love paella! I like the idea of jazzing up cauliflower rice too. Looks like a great weeknight dinner idea. Maybe Id even splurge on a glass of wine too
This looks delicious! Did you have any leftovers and if you did did they keep well? I’d love to make this and have the leftovers for lunch, as there’s no way me and my roommate can eat the whole thing! (Well, we might be able to, but that wouldn’t be a good thing…)
My husband and I pretty much ate the entire thing!! It’s not as filling as regular paella because of the cauliflower and we were starving that night. There was about 1 lunch portion leftover the next day
Glad to know it worked as a lunch portion the next day because I’m always looking for things I can have for dinner and lunch at work the next day.
Can’t wait to make it!!
Hi
I stumbled across your website from a link on someone else’s personal page.
I have been seeing a nutritionist who has told me to go on a no grains diet for 3 months minimum but was not very helpful with alternatives.
When I saw your paella recipe on the home page I was curious as to what you used instead of rice. Processed cauliflower – genius!
Can’t wait to read some more and become re-inspired about getting rid of the grains!
Cheers
David
Australia
Hi David! I’m so happy you found the site. Going off grains isn’t as scary as it looks, promise! I have recipes for pizza, muffins, “pasta” and all sorts of other delicious things!
If you’re making a basic Paella, with just chicken, sausage, and shrimp. would you still need the clam juice?
Nope you should be fine with all chicken broth
I am so excited to try this! You have a lot of creative recipes that I’m dying to try actually! Starting the Whole 30 tomorrow – and have pinned several of your recipes to try throughout the month – so thrilled to have found your site! Subscribing, thanks!!!!
Wow; this looks amazing! I’m from Spain, and I like the idea of making it without rice for a different twist. Plus, I’ve already tried making cauliflower rice and truly like it. I’ll have to try this, with my mother’s version of ingredients. By the way, in Valencia, paellas are either seafood or meat based, but not mixed. Other regions of Spain mix the ingredients. You can even find paellas made with cabrillas, or large escargot-like snails, and a black paella with cuttlefish ink… the possibilities are endless and so yummy!!
I made this recently and it was so good! I will be adding it into the rotation of dinners for my husband and I. I doubled up on the mussels, chicken, and chorizo (because I wanted to use everything I had) and we had plenty of delicious leftovers for the rest of the week. Thanks for the recipe!
Most certainly just PINNED this!! I must make it, it looks phenomenal!
OMG we made this last Sunday and it was to die for. I doubled the clams and mussels and used Chicken Chorizo from Whole Foods. The key for us was to crank up the heat and really let the liquid out of the cauliflower and to let it soften like rice. I could not tell a difference from regular paella. Genius! Can’t wait for your cookbook! When will it be ready?
It will be out in July and this recipe will be in it
Wow does this look great! Just voted for you. Good luck.
This looks delicious. I make something similar with roasted cauliflower, chicken and shrimp. I love the photo too! Great colors. I’m just now cruising around your site and it’s great! I think I found this post via Pinterest
Best wishes, Erica
Thanks Erica! We have actually chatted before, way back when I was first diagnosed with UC. Your blog and Elana’s are what inspired me to start mine. Can’t wait to see your book!