Arroz Negro — Spanish Seafood and Squid Ink Rice

Cut the squid into 1 cm thick rings and its tentacles into pairs of pieces, then pat everything thoroughly dry with paper towels. Peel and devein the shrimp. Do not discard the shells; they are ideal for making fish stock from scratch.

Pound the garlic and salt in a mortar until they form a paste. Add the egg yolk and lemon juice and whisk. Drizzle in the olive oil drop by drop at first, then in a thin stream once the sauce thickens. Whisk until thick enough to hold on a spoon. If it breaks, start with a fresh yolk and gradually whisk in the broken sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan. Add the finely chopped onion and red bell pepper and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the grated tomato and cook off its liquid. The sofrito is ready when it thickens and the oil begins to rise to the surface. This base carries the depth of the whole dish.

Raise the heat, add the squid to the pan and stir for 4 minutes, until it releases and reabsorbs its liquid. Sprinkle in the pimentón and stir for 20 seconds; the ground pepper burns quickly in oil. The squid will not be fully cooked yet; it will soften as the rice cooks.

Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes, until the grains glisten with oil; do not rinse the rice. Dissolve the squid ink in a ladleful of hot fish stock and pour it into the pan. Add the remaining stock and salt. Shake the pan to distribute the rice evenly, then do not stir again.

Cook uncovered over medium-high heat for the first 8 minutes, then over low heat for the remaining time. When the liquid is level with the rice, arrange the shrimp on top. During the final 2 minutes, raise the heat to form a thin toasted layer (socarrat) on the bottom; a faint crackling sound from the pan is the sign it is ready. Serve with parsley, lemon wedges and aioli.