Arroz Negro (Black Paella)

This recipe by Mr. Marketman is a rich paella mixed with squid ink and the freshest seafood. 

Serves 4 to 5

1 to 2 pieces white onions
fresh red capsicum or pimientos
1/2 kilo medium-sized prawns
1/2 kilo small squids
1 kilo of alimango or alimasag (crabs)
some clams (optional)
lobsters

10 to 12 cups of fish stock (see tip below)
3 to 4 tablespoons bottled squid ink
4 to 5 tablespoons more of olive oil
1 kilo Arborio rice
salt to taste

For aioli or garlic mayonnaise
1 cup of mayonnaise
chopped garlic
lemon juice
olive oil
salt to taste

1  Chop onions and julienne capsicum. Devein and peel prawns, squids, alimasag (crabs), clams, and lobsters.

2  Dilute the squid ink: In a small saucepan, place a half cup of the fish broth and add bottled squid ink. Set aside.

3  On a heated grill, place the paellera, add olive oil, sauté the onions,and add Arborio rice. Add the diluted squid ink and mix rapidly until the rice is coated. Add fish broth and stir. Adjust the ink at this point if you think you want it blacker. Distribute the rice evenly on the pan and stop stirring. Add salt to taste. Add the crab pieces then five minutes later add the squid, shrimp, clams, and the rest of the seafoods. Add sliced peppers on top of the paella. Cover and let simmer for 23 to 25 minutes.

4  Add some broth if it looks like it is drying out too fast. You know it's done if the rice is puffed and grains from the top have a soft- to medium-firm bite. You can take it off the flames and cover with newspaper to steam it another 10 minutes before serving.

5  Make the aïoli or garlic mayonnaise:  Put mayonnaise in the food processor or blender. Add garlic, lemon juice, a little olive oil and salt, and blitz until mixed well.

Substitution tip: To make fish stock, dissolve 1 fish bouillon cube in 1 cup hot water.

Photography by Ocs Alvarez | Styling by Belle Alvarez