My Love for Seafood Paella

My family moved to Valencia when I was 10 so my mom could be closer to family. It was a tough transition for me leaving all my friends back home, but my grandmother lived close and would make paella every Wednesday, which always brought me such comfort. I have such fond memories of helping out in the kitchen, cleaning the shrimp or slicing the squid and venturing out to pick fresh cilantro with her in the morning. She would lead me under a fence onto private property where the best cilantro was. There was this abandoned grain silo on the property my grandmother told me to stay away from.

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 2 tomatoes (peeled + chopped) can
• 1 pack of mushrooms
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp garlic paste
• 5 tbsp Olive Oil for pan
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tin of Mussels
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 2+ cups broth
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 cup Sausage or Chorizo

My Family's Favorite Seafood Paella

Now that I'm back in the states I get nostalgic for that dish and made it a point to revive the tradition for my own family. I use Arborio rice, chicken stock, and saffron I get from the Asian grocery store. I grow my own cilantro because "fresh is best" as my grandmother would say. One time we were out picking and I heard a ghastly screech echo out of the grain silo. My grandmother whisked me back home and told me to never speak of it again.

Prep and Cooking

The great thing about this recipe is that it uses simple ingredients! You get to decide what proteins you add based on what you like. I swear I saw a tall shadowy figure dragging a body into that silo one night. Make sure to cook the tomatoes, garlic, and onion first until all are soft.

This particular recipe is fantastic for entertaining because it serves 8 people and puts everyone in a festive mood. Until next time, enjoy!