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When I was home for Thanksgiving with my huge extended family, I shared how I get to also help with the cooking. More than 50 people. Such an amazing experience. When you have more than 50 people for a holiday meal, you need a lot of fridge and freezer space. When I went into the freezer, I found a whole bunch of spices. My Father-in-law had a few bags of saffron. I asked him how long he had these? More than 20 years for sure. He bought them while traveling abroad many years ago.
Salmon Paella
He was all too happy to share them with me and I did not want to be ungrateful so I gladly accepted a bag of saffron. 🙂 My favorite dish to use saffron for is a paella. Where did paella originate from? I knew it came from Spain but I learned a few interesting facts while doing a little research on the history. Paella is thought of as Spain’s national dish. This is only true if you are not from Spain. Though paella has ancient roots, today’s dish owes its origin to the coastal Valencia region of Spain in the mid 19th century.
The traditional dish uses a rice known as bomba. I did not have that type of rice to make this dish. I looked up rices that would be similar and arborio, the Italian risotto rice was suggested. Seeing my result, I would suggest using a more typical rice. The risotto gives a real creaminess to the dish. However, I think I would like the rice to be a little firmer – more in the style of the Mexican rice dishes I make.
- 1 1/2 pounds Salmon
- 5 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
- 1 tablespoons Smoked Sea Salt
- 1 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Spanish Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Cumin
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 4 cups seafood stock
- 3 - 4 pinches saffron
- 1 - 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 4 - 6 ounces frozen corn
- 4 - 6 ounces frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 green pepper, diced
- Combine 4 tablespoons of olive oil with the smoked sea salt, Old Bay, Spanish & Smoked Paprika and cumin.
- Pour over the salmon and massage in. Put in an airtight container and store overnight.
- Heat a paella pan or skillet on medium high heat. Add the oil and cook for 2 minutes until it is good and hot.
- Add the onions and green peppers and cook for 4 - 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the rice and toast for 2 minutes.
- Add the seafood stock 1 cup at a time. Stir and do not add the second cup of stock until the first cup has been all but absorbed.
- After the second cup of stock, add the tomatoes including its liquid. Continuing the absorbing process.
- At the same time, heat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the salmon and cook 4 minutes on each side and set aside.
- Back to the rice. Once the 4 cups of stock have been absorbed add the corn and peas.
- Break the salmon with your hands into small pieces. Add the salmon to the rice and cook for 2 - 3 minutes to reheat the salmon.
- Serve and enjoy!
Ingredients
Salmon in Marinade.
Salmon in Marinade
Salmon in Skillet.
Salmon in Skillet
Rice & Veggies in Skillet.
Rice & Veggies in Skillet
Stock Added.
Stock Added
Tomatoes Added.
Tomatoes and Saffron Added
All Ingredients Added to Skillet.
All Ingredients Added to Skillet
Plated.
Hi – we got hold of 7lbs of salmon cuts that had already been cooked and were bagged for the catering trade (so a bit like tinned) and we were then scratching around for ways to use it up once opened – it worked really well with this – i marinaded over night but then didn’t need to cook in a pan before adding – never heard of old bay seasoning being from the uk but made my own from an online recipe – delicious recipe, thank you for sharing it
So glad it worked out for you. Old Bay is big in the states. Developed on the East coast for use with crabs. But it is good on so many things!
Hi. Great recipe but no mention of when to add the saffron!!!
I am glad you like the recipe and thanks for catching the missed step. It was quite a while ago but looking back at the steps, it looks like the saffron was added with the tomatoes. Makes sense because the stock will help the saffron bloom. Let me know how your recipe turns out.
Wow! Love that you used salmon! And great flavors!
Beautiful recipe Peter. What a stunner this would be to serve to dinner guests.
This paella sounds wonderful! What a deliciously comforting dish 🙂
I love paella and this looks like an amazing one. Great recipe.
Thx Janette.
Can I use canned salmon?
Cooking is often about using what you have in the house. Canned salmon would certainly work in a pinch. If you have the opportunity to get to the store, buy the real thing and use the marinade described in the recipe.
Thank you. Marinaded salmon definitely sounds better, but canned is all I have now and this recipe sounds awesome 🙂
Fantastic job with this paella, Peter!
Thx Dan.
Is it lunch time yet? My girls love salmon, and have never had paella. Nice way to introduce it to them.
Eli, this is such a comforting dish. I would think your girls will love it.
This looks so good, love the smoky flavors you added to it with the salt and paprika.
I love smoke in anything! Thx Tara.