Arroz con Carabineros y Calamares

Heat 15ml of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the reserved Carabinero prawn heads and sear for 3 minutes, pressing down on them heavily with a spatula to release their bright red, deeply flavorful juices.

Deglaze the saucepan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Once the wine has reduced by half, pour in the hot seafood stock. Bring to a simmer at 90°C/195°F, cook for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, discarding the solids. Keep the enriched broth hot.

Prepare the alioli. In a tall narrow container, combine the crushed garlic paste, room temperature egg yolk, lemon juice, and salt. Note: Raw eggs carry a risk of salmonella; use pasteurized yolks if serving pregnant or immunocompromised guests. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture while pouring the neutral oil and olive oil in a very slow, thin, steady stream until thick and emulsified. Refrigerate until serving.

Place the paella pan over medium heat and add the remaining 45ml of olive oil. Add the cleaned squid rings and tentacles. Sauté briefly for 2 minutes until just opaque, then push them to the outer edges of the pan where it is slightly cooler.

In the center of the pan, add the minced garlic, sweet smoked paprika, and pureed tomatoes. Cook this sofrito mixture, stirring constantly, until the tomato reduces, deepens in color, and becomes thick and jammy.

Sprinkle the bomba rice and crushed saffron threads evenly into the pan. Stir everything together so the rice is coated in the sofrito, oil, and squid. Toast the rice for 2 minutes to develop flavor.

Carefully pour the hot enriched seafood broth over the rice. Shake the pan gently to distribute the rice in an even layer. Do not stir the rice from this point forward. Boil vigorously at 100°C/212°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for another 10 minutes as the liquid is absorbed.

Arrange the raw Carabinero prawn tails elegantly on top of the rice. Continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the liquid has fully evaporated, the prawn tails are pink and firm, reaching an internal temperature of 60°C/140°F, and you hear a distinct crackling sound at the bottom of the pan indicating the socarrat (crust) is forming.

Remove the pan from the heat. Cover loosely with aluminum foil or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows the residual heat to finish cooking the rice and the starches to settle. Serve straight from the pan with dollops of the chilled alioli.