Paella

INGREDIENTS:
● 5 vine-ripe tomatoes
● 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
● 450g cleaned calamari, cut into 3cm pieces
● 3 large onions, coarsely chopped
● 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
● Good pinch of saffron threads
● 4 fresh bay leaves
● 500g each red and green peppers, diced
● 135ml fino sherry
● 450g bomba rice
● 750g mussels, scrubbed, beards removed
● 1kg prawns
● 800g clams, soaked in cold salted water for 2 hours to remove grit, drained
● To serve: lemon wedges

METHOD:
1. Blanch tomatoes until skins split (30 seconds -1 minute) and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel, remove seeds (discard), finely chop and set aside.

2. Heat 60ml oil in a 48cm-diameter paella pan over high heat, add calamari, season to taste, and stir continuously until firm and caramelised (1.5-2 minutes), transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, cover, and set aside.

3. Reduce heat to low-medium, add onion, garlic, saffron, bay leaves, and remaining oil, season with a little salt, and stir continuously until onion is golden (4-5 minutes). Add the peppers and cook until soft and jammy (8-10 minutes).

4. Drain all liquid from tomato and add to the pan with fino, increase heat to medium-high, season to taste, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the base of the pan until any liquid is reduced and the mixture looks like thick and chunky jam (15-20 minutes).

5. Add 1.6 litres tap-hot water, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Return calamari to pan and cook for 10 minutes, sprinkle in rice and stir through evenly. Continue cooking until rice starts to show, adding mussels and clams after 12 minutes add prawns (15-20 minutes; do not stir again).

6. Remove from heat, cover with 2 tea towels and set aside to steam (15 minutes). Serve hot with lemon wedges.