MEDITERRANEAN DIET. SEAFOOD PAELLA.

This is a typical Spanish dish that is easy to cook, tasty and full of nutrients.

INGREDIENTS

For four people:
• Virgin olive oil.
• 1 Pepper.
• 1 Tomato.
• 1 Squid.
• ½ kg of mussels.
• Prawns, king prawns, shrimps (usually four to eight units, roughly two per person).
• ½ kg of rice.
• A pinch of salt.
• 1 litre of water, (without taking into account the water that is used to cook the mussels in).
• Saffron (if available).
• Garlic.
• Parsley.

METHOD.

1. A ‘sofrito’ is prepared with sizzling olive oil, pepper, tomato and squid, (which has been previously cleaned and cut into rings).
2. The rice is then added to the ‘sofrito’ along with the mussels (which have been cooked separately) water is then added to all these ingredients after they have been stirred together a number of times.
3. When the rice is almost fully cooked, the prawns, garlic (which has been cut previously into small pieces) parsley and saffron (if available) are added.
4. Leave the rice to rest for two minutes after it is cooked with a clean dishtowel on top.

PROPERTIES: 

➢ The dish is full of vitamins and antioxidants as number of them are present in the oil, tomato, pepper, garlic, and parsley that protect us against cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
➢ The Omega 3s present in seafood help us to prevent cardiovascular accidents, skin pathologies and inflammatory processes.
➢ The high levels of Iron, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid make the dish invaluable against the development of anaemia.
➢ The carbohydrates derived from the rice provides us with the energy that we need to be active, and the protein derived from the seafood contributes to the development of muscle mass.
➢ The seafood paella is considered to be one of the star dishes of the Mediterranean diet due to its taste and properties.

So, enjoy!.