Black Rice Paella

I have finally got out of my comfort zone to make my favourite paella variety: Black Rice Paella. To me, paella is the king of all Spanish dishes and the way it is cooked can determine whether the dish is worthy of a 5 star restaurant or a simple paella made at your local chiringuito.

I have been making paella for over 15 years from all my years of living in Spain. If you walk into my kitchen you will notice I own every sized paella pan under the sun, from a single helping paella dish to a 25 person paella dish. I was always known for my paella parties as for me it is one of the simplest large crowd pleaser recipes.

Usually I prepare the ingredients in advance and then when my guests arrive I cook it on my patio on the special paella gas cooker in front of everyone. So I never miss out on enjoying my own parties by being stuck in the kitchen!

Black rice paella has always been one of my favourite dishes to order in my local Spanish restaurant. The cuttle fish ink brings out the flavour of the shellfish and complements the ingredients. You can taste the Mediterranean in this recipe and you know what you are getting is fresh seafood and fresh Spanish produce.

Making It

I start by making the paella the same way as a seafood paella using saffron and smoked paprika and a small amount of chorizo to add a smoky flavour to the dish. The appearance of the dish then starts to change when I add the squid ink. You can find squid or cuttle fish ink in a good fishmongers. They store it in the freezer so you can use it straight away at home. If you can’t find squid ink but are still determined to cook a black rice paella then use black rice instead. It still works deliciously well with the recipe and looks authentic.

I add cherry tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes as it adds a nice sweetness to the black rice paella. It also complements the saltiness of the seafood. I use gambones which are super sized king prawns, clams, mussels and squid. Meaty fish like monkfish can be added too.

Serving it

Serve hot in bowls with a slice of lemon and some crusty wholemeal bread on the side. It is also delicious with a serving of alioli on the side. Buen Provecho!

If you like this then you will love my recipe for Thai Crab Noodles.

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