Monkfish Paella with Artichokes and Deep Water Prawns
Ingredients
10 cups plus 1 cup homemade or frozen fish stock, divided*16 baby artichokes, trimmed of sharp tips and tough outer leaves and placed in acidulated water
1 cup olive oil (not extra virgin)
2 yellow onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
10 garlic cloves plus 6 cloves, minced, divided
6 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
5 cups Matiz Valenciano paella rice**
2 tsp. smoked Spanish sweet paprika
½ cup Spanish white wine
1 tsp. saffron threads, toasted for 15 seconds and ground to powder
8 stalks swiss chard, ribs removed and roughly torn into 2-inch pieces
Maldon sea salt*** and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 deep-water red prawns, head and tail intact* (can substitute jumbo shrimp)
2 lbs. monkfish*, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Juice of 2 lemons, plus 6 lemons, quartered
High quality extra virgin Spanish olive oil****
Espelette ground red pepper***
Preparation
• Heat the fish stock and keep just under boiling point until ready to use.
• Drain the artichokes and pat dry with paper towel. Slice in half and remove tiny choke if there is one. Set aside.
• Heat the paella pan over medium-high heat.
• Add ½ cup or more of olive oil to coat the pan. Add the onions and 10 cloves of minced garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add the diced tomatoes. Once combined, add the rice and sauté until the rice is translucent.
• Add the paprika and continue to stir to combine all the ingredients for another minute.
• Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Cook until the wine has evaporated.
• Add 10 cups of fish stock and stir until all is combined.
• Bring the rice to a boil, then add saffron powder and stir well. Add the swiss chard and distribute evenly within the rice.
• Start timing the rice. (Note: Do not stir rice from this point forward, but check periodically to ensure rice is not burned on the bottom. It is desirable to form a light-colored crust on the bottom of the pan; called socarat in Spain.)
• The paella should cook for approximately 10 minutes on boil, then reduce to medium heat until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is nearly finished, about 45 minutes. Test for doneness.
• While the rice is cooking, prepare the other ingredients: Using another pan, add 1 clove minced garlic and sauté the artichokes cut-side down until lightly browned. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and cover with foil.
• Add 1 clove of minced garlic and sauté prawns for 3 minutes, turning once. (The shells should be lightly browned and shrimp firm to the touch.) Remove and cover with foil.
• Add another clove of minced garlic and more olive oil, if needed, and sauté monkfish pieces until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and cover with foil.
• Several minutes prior to the rice being done, nestle the monkfish, artichokes and prawns into the rice in a decorative manner.
• Taste the rice for doneness. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the rice needs more cooking time, but the stock has evaporated, add reserved stock in ½ cup increments until the rice is done.
• When complete, remove from heat, pour lemon juice over the paella, then place additional quartered lemons on paella. Drizzle with Spanish extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with espelette pepper to taste and a bit of salt, if necessary. Cover with foil and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
*Available at Bob’s Seafood
**Available at Straubs
***Available at Sur La Table
****Available at Vom Fass
