"Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur cooking is country cooking and city cooking and seaside cooking and mountain cooking and river cooking. And like so many regions where landscapes happily crash into each other in this way, the food is dynamic, it's exciting, it's new and it's old.."
- Rebekah Peppler
Trying to put something off??? Yeah, you're dragging your feet. Well, we've got a suggestion for you. Make this French seafood paella, Paella Camarguaise, while you put off that undesirable commitment and transform procrastination into a worthy side pursuit.
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Le Sud
This French seafood paella recipe comes from Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
When I was working on the edits for my first book, Apértif, a friend of mine spent a few months cooking in Arles. Not one to throw away a chance to hop on a train for food or sunshine, I packed the manuscript and spent a few days unrolling it at a café in the main square around the corner from her apartment.
Hunger is one of my top procrastination crutches, and so I also spent plenty of time wandering the stone streets and alleys of the ancient city, stumbling on Roman ruins, vantage points favored by van Gogh, and massive pans of paella.
Rice, cultivated in the Camargue wetlands just south of Arles since the sixteenth century, lies at its base, the plump, creamy grains made yellow & fragrant by saffron & studded with mussels, clams, & bright red shrimp.
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How to Make French Seafood Paella
Ingredients
- stock - chicken stock, store-bought or homemade will work
- wine - dry white wine is recommended
- saffron - saffron threads are fragrant and beautiful, but not a staple in our kitchen. You do you
- oil - grab your favorite extra-virgin olive oil for this paella
- onion - a large yellow onion will do
- salt - sea salt is recommended for Paella Camarguaise
- garlic
- peppers - roasted red peppers can be store-bought or prepared at home
- tomatoes
- rice - your favorite long-grain white rice works perfectly. Rice from the Camargue captures the essence of this French seafood paella
- shrimp - large shrimp, deveined
- mussels - mussels should be rinsed and gently scrubbed prior to cooking. If you have to buy pre-cooked, as we did, throw them in at the last minute
- clams - small clams, such as littlenecks are recommended. They should also be scrubbed prior to cooking
- butter - unsalted European butter is recommended but any unsalted butter will work
- parsley - fresh flat-leaf parsley is sprinkled on top prior to serving
- lemon - squeeze some lemon on top prior to eating for the perfect amount of acid
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Equipment
- Prep Bowls
- Butcher Block
- Child-Friendly Knife
- Santoku Knife
- Kitchen Scale
- Fine-Mesh Strainer
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cup
- Wooden Spoon
- Saucier or medium saucepan
- Paella pan, Rondeau, or other large pan
- Molcajete (optional)
Prep the Vegetables & Wash the Rice
Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and cutting board to dice the onion, chop the garlic and tomatoes, slice the lemon, and cube the butter. Wash the rice in a fine-mesh strainer.
Combine the Chicken Stock, Wine, & Saffron
Use a measuring cup to add the chicken stock and wine to a large pot over medium heat.
Crush the saffron with a molcajete or your fingers. Add it to the pan. Bring the stock mixture to a simmer. Turn off the stove, cover the pan, and keep it warm.
Heat the Oil
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Add the Onion & Season
Add the diced onion to the pan and season with salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add the Garlic
Add the garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the Peppers & Tomatoes
Stir in the peppers and tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in the Rice
Stir in the washed rice. Make sure the rice is well coated.
Add the Stock Mixture to the Rice Mixture
Add the stock mixture from the other pan to the rice mixture. Reserve 1 cup for later. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring.
Add the Shrimp, Mussels, & Clams
Season the shrimp with salt. Add the shrimp, mussels, and clams to the pan. The clams should be scrubbed before cooking.
Top with Butter Cubes & Remaining Stock Mixture
Place the butter cubes on top. Pour the reserved stock mixture over the other ingredients. Place the lid or aluminum foil on top. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mussels and clams open. While you're waiting, chop the parsley.
Turn off the stove. Remove any mussels and clams that did not open.
Sprinkle with Parsley & Serve with Lemon Wedges
Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve with lemon wedges.
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French Seafood Paella
Make this Paella Camarguaise when you wanna put something off.
Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.
The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for Europe.
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French Seafood Paella: Paella Camarguaise
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 cups chicken stock store-bought or homemade
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
- ¼ cup Giadzy olive oil
- 1 yellow onion large, diced
- fine sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 roasted red peppers thinly sliced
- 3 tomatoes large, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups white rice long-grain, preferably from the Camargue
- 8 oz shrimp large, deveined
- 8 oz mussels
- 8 oz clams small, such as littlenecks, scrubbed clean
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter preferably European, cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prep the Vegetables & Wash the Rice: Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and cutting board to dice the onion, chop the garlic and tomatoes, slice the lemon, and cube the butter. Wash the rice in a fine-mesh strainer.
- Combine the Chicken Stock, Wine, & Saffron: Use a measuring cup to add the chicken stock and wine to a large pot over medium heat. Crush the saffron with a molcajete or your fingers. Add it to the pan. Bring the stock mixture to a simmer. Turn off the stove, cover the pan, and keep it warm.
- Heat the Oil: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the Onion & Season: Add the diced onion to the pan and season with salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
- Add the Garlic: Add the garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the Peppers & Tomatoes: Stir in the peppers and tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the Rice: Stir in the washed rice. Make sure the rice is well coated.
- Add the Stock Mixture to the Rice Mixture: Add the stock mixture from the other pan to the rice mixture. Reserve 1 cup for later. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring.
- Add the Shrimp, Mussels, & Clams: Season the shrimp with salt. Add the shrimp, mussels, and clams to the pan.
- Top with Butter Cubes & Remaining Stock Mixture: Place the butter cubes on top. Pour the reserved stock mixture over the other ingredients. Place the lid or aluminum foil on top. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mussels and clams open. While you're waiting, chop the parsley. Turn off the stove. Remove any mussels and clams that did not open.
- Sprinkle with Parsley & Serve with Lemon Wedges: Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
- Full Lesson Info and Pictures at: https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/seafood-paella
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
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