Holiday Sea Witch Paella
This spooky seafood paella is packed with octopus, shrimp, lobster, and a haunting black hue from cuttlefish ink. A dramatic and delicious Halloween dinner centerpiece!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Halloween
- Method: Sauté & Simmer
- Cuisine: Halloween, Seafood, Spanish-Inspired
Ingredients
4 cups lobster broth
1/4 tsp saffron threads
16 oz cooked octopus tentacles
4 whole prawns (not peeled)
8 oz shrimp, peeled
4 cooked lobster claws
16 oz calamari rings & tentacles
1 tsp cuttlefish ink
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp white wine
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup yellow & green bell peppers, chopped
10 oz diced tomato
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup forbidden rice
16 oz purple cauliflower florets
2 tbsp fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Sear Seafood:
In a paella pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add octopus and calamari. Sauté 2–3 minutes until tender. Remove and set aside.
Add prawns and lobster claws to the same pan. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until cooked through. Add peeled shrimp and cook another 2–3 minutes. Remove all seafood and set aside.
Prepare Broth:
In a separate pot, bring lobster broth to a boil. Add saffron, then reduce to a simmer.
Deglaze & Sauté Veggies:
Deglaze paella pan with white wine. Once evaporated, add olive oil. Sauté onion, bell peppers, and tomato for 5–10 minutes. Season with paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir in cuttlefish ink.
Add Rice:
Stir in forbidden rice, coating with veggies and letting it absorb the excess liquid.
Cook Paella:
Gradually add hot broth one ladle at a time. Do not stir after broth is added—just let it absorb. Tent loosely with foil during cooking. Continue this process for 30–40 minutes.
Add Cauliflower:
Halfway through, press cauliflower florets into rice. Cover and continue adding broth, allowing cauliflower to steam and cook for 20+ minutes.
Finish Paella:
When rice is tender and liquid absorbed, return seafood to the pan. Tent with foil until seafood is warmed through.
Serve:
Use a spatula to scrape up the crispy bottom layer of rice (socarrat). Garnish with parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread. Happy Halloween!
Notes
Forbidden rice adds a dramatic black hue and nutty flavor.
Cuttlefish ink deepens the spooky aesthetic and enhances umami.
Avoid stirring after adding broth to develop traditional socarrat (crispy rice layer).
Use purple cauliflower for added Halloween flair and texture.
Find it online: https://allrecipesmade.com/holiday-sea-witch-paella/
