Valencian Rice with Squid and Squid Ink

Introduction

Squid ink gives this Valencian rice its black color and a deep briny edge, while cubanelle peppers, garlic, and sweet paprika keep the base savory and balanced. You start with a quick seafood broth, then cook the rice until it still has a slight bite and finish it under a white towel, which makes this a good project dinner for six.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Servings: 6

Ingredients

Paella

• 3 pounds diced squid
• 1 pounds green cubanelle peppers
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups Valencian rice
• 3 teaspoons squid ink
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• Olive oil

Broth

• 8 oz crab
• 8 oz smelt or fish heads
• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium green or red bell pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 gallon of water

Instructions

Broth

1. Cut one onion and one bell pepper into quarters and place in a large pot with the rest of the broth ingredients.
2. Boil for about 30 minutes. Occasionally press the ingredients against the bottom of the pot with a potato masher or ladle to squeeze out their flavors.
3. Strain the broth and set aside. Discard the boiled seafood.

Paella

1. Pour enough oil into a paellera to cover the bottom and heat over a medium flame.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to cubanelles and sauté until soft.
3. Add squid and sauté for 2 minutes.
4. Add garlic and sauté until brown (be careful not to burn).
5. Add rice and braise until coated with oil.
6. Add paprika and sauté for no more than 15 seconds then quickly add four cups of broth to prevent the paprika from burning.
7. Add squid ink and mix well.
8. Bring broth to a boil and then simmer for 2 minutes.
9. Taste the broth and invite your dinner guests to do so as well. If it tastes bland, add 1 teaspoon of salt at a time until everybody approves.
10. Add the rice.
11. Begin tasting the rice after it’s been simmering for about 20 minute and reduce the heat a bit. Make sure the rice doesn’t get too soft. Check the rice again every 10 minutes and reduce the heat slightly after each taste. Your goal is to wind up with rice that has a slightly underdone center. The time it takes to reach this point can vary from 30 minutes to an hour depending on your cooking gear.
12. Your paella is done once you’ve accomplished the following three things: 1) The rice should be slightly firm to the bite. Italians use the same approach when cooking pasta. They call this texture al dente, 2) The paella should be a little moist but not soupy, 3) You should have a bit of toasted rice on the bottom of the paellera. This is considered a delicacy throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
13. Remove the paellera from the heat and cover it with a white towel (NOT ALUMINUM FOIL). Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Variations

• Replace the green cubanelle peppers with green bell peppers if cubanelles are hard to find. The dish will taste slightly sweeter and the pepper texture will be thicker.
• Swap the crab in the broth for shrimp shells. You still get a seafood base, but the broth will be lighter and a little less sweet.
• Use cuttlefish ink in place of squid ink. The color stays the same, and the flavor shifts slightly rounder and less sharp.
• Replace the homemade broth with a good seafood stock when you need to shorten the process. The rice will still work, but the finished pan will have less layered seafood flavor.

Tips for Success

• Keep the paprika in the hot oil for no more than 15 seconds. If it burns, the whole pan will taste bitter.
• Taste the rice starting at the 20-minute mark exactly as the recipe says. Valencian rice can go from firm to soft faster than it looks.
• Add salt only after tasting the broth. The crab, fish heads, and squid ink can change the salt level from batch to batch.
• Stop cooking when the surface looks moist but not loose. If you wait for it to look dry in the pan, the rice will usually be overdone after the 5-minute rest.
• Use a white towel, not foil, for the resting step. The towel absorbs condensation so the top layer does not get wet and soft.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in a shallow airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Seafood rice is best fresh, and the squid will firm up as it sits.

Freezing is not recommended. The rice loses its texture, and the squid tends to turn tougher after thawing and reheating.

Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a small splash of broth or water, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes. You can also microwave it, loosely covered, in short bursts until hot, but the rice will soften more and the toasted bottom will not come back.

FAQ

Can you use frozen squid?

Yes. Thaw it fully and pat it dry well before it hits the pan so it sautés instead of steaming.

Do you need a paellera for this recipe?

A wide, shallow skillet is the closest substitute. Avoid a deep pot, which makes it harder to cook the rice evenly and develop toasted rice on the bottom.

Why is the paella covered with a towel instead of foil?

The towel absorbs steam during the 5-minute rest. Foil traps condensation and can make the top layer wetter than you want.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

The ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but you should still check the squid ink and any store-bought stock if you substitute for the homemade broth. Some packaged products include additives.