Seafood Paella with Spring Vegetables

1.5 hours

SERVINGS:6

Ingredients

6	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2	cups diced onion
1	cup diced fennel
3	medium tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater (skins discarded)
4	cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2	tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1	teaspoon sea salt, divided
½	teaspoon ground pepper
½	teaspoon crushed red pepper
Pinch of saffron
1	large fresh artichoke
1	cup Calasparra rice or other paella rice
2	cups seafood stock
1	cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
4	ounces squid bodies, sliced into rings
6-12	clams and/or mussels, scrubbed
8	ounces skinned monkfish or cod, cut into 1-inch-thick pieces

Method

Step 1
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 13- to 14-inch paella pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and fennel; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and saffron. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato liquid has evaporated, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, clean artichoke. Cut lengthwise into 6 wedges. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the artichoke wedges; sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Step 4
When the tomato liquid has evaporated, add rice to the paella pan, increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock. Turn on a second burner so both the front and rear burner on one side of the stove are on; bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 5
Spread the rice evenly in the pan and nestle the artichokes and beans into it. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes, rotating and shifting the pan around the burners periodically to help the rice cook evenly. Season squid with ⅛ teaspoon salt and place on the rice. Cook, without stirring but continuing to rotate the pan, for 5 minutes more.
Step 6
or mussels into the rice with the open edges facing up. Season fish with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and place on top of the rice. Remove the paella from the heat and very carefully cover the pan with foil.
Step 7
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.