As we experience this stretch of fantastic weather, many outdoor establishments are extending their summer season a bit longer, including Mostrador Marram, the popular Montauk beachside café from famed Argentinian restaurateur chef Fernando Trocca at the Marram Montauk Hotel.
Mostrador serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a daily selection of pastries, and is a local seaside favorite that extends to fans beyond its hotel guests. The cafe offers a refined version of Latin American counter service, or “mostrador,” with oceanside grilling and an intimate atmosphere. This season’s weekly paella nights were wildly successful, thanks partly to executive chef Stefano Mastracchio’s family-style approach to the restaurant’s signature menu item.
Watching Mastracchio master Spain’s most beloved dish featuring local vegetables, fish, meats and saffron-infused short-grain rice is an epicurean experience to behold. Calm and collected as he layers the giant paella pan with “sofrito” (a reduction of onions, peppers, garlic and grated tomato), squid and cockles, it seems abundantly clear he has made this delicious, crowd-pleasing dish many times, particularly as a family meal for his culinary team.
“We regularly get great shellfish from Gosman’s and Bambou [Pittaluga, Mostrador’s managing partner], and I will make a family meal paella once a week,” says Mastracchio. “Even when we are not working, I will make this dish for friends. It’s a great way to bring everyone around the table.”
To achieve the desirable “socarrat,” a golden crispy crust at the bottom of the pan, the rice must all be in contact with the heated carbon steel surface. This is why a classic paella pan is needed, as they are sized by diameter and not height. With some pans available up to 52 inches wide (that’s a lot of paella!), opting for a 17-inch pan will be manageable for the home cook (available at Bar Boy restaurant supply in Hampton Bays) and serve six happy people a plentiful amount of rice, squid, clams and a crunchy piece of “socarrat.”
“Everybody always wants a piece of the crispy rice,” continues Mastracchio, “so I mix it up when serving so everyone gets a little part.”
While that is undoubtedly a worth-the-wait element, it’s the sofrito which is the base of the dish. Pushing this thick paste into the center of the pan while cooking the squid will guarantee browning to a golden hue and keep the sofrito a bright color until it is blended with the broth and rice. Mastracchio also advises flattening and pushing the rice down in the pan with a spatula to cover the entire surface.
“You want to be sure that rice is not inside the squid rings as well, as it will not cook properly,” notes the chef.
As the Mostrador team winds down in Montauk, they soon begin the summer season at Trocca’s Mostrador Santa Teresita in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay. This Friday, September 13, will be your last chance to experience Paella Night at the Montauk location until next season.
“Having a good time and enjoying food with the ones you love, that’s what it’s all about for us,” says Mastracchio.
That being said, if flying to South America isn’t in your cards, grab some friends and family and try making this simple yet satisfying dish at home.
Mostrador’s squid and cockles paella
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tomato, finely grated
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups arborio rice
- 7 cups fish broth
- 2 lbs fresh squid, cut into 2-inch rounds
- 2 lbs fresh cockles
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 lemons
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tsp sea salt
Directions
- Place the fish broth in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add a pinch of saffron.
- Bring the entire surface of the paella pan to an even temperature over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil to the paella pan followed by the onion.
- Once the onion starts to sweat (about 4 minutes) , add the red pepper and stir.
- Gently cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and smoked paprika and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the grated tomato and let simmer for another 10 minutes stirring every 2 minutes.
- The sofrito should be thick and have a vibrant color. Make sure not to burn.
- Move the sofrito to the center of the pan.
- Add the squid around the sofrito and let cook for about 5 minutes without moving to make sure it gets a nice golden color.
- Reduce heat and add the dry rice to the paella pan and mix everything together.
- Make sure the rice its evenly distributed in the entire surface of the pan.
- Add the warm broth to the paella pan and bring to a boil at high heat.
- Season with salt and cook for 20 minutes.
- Lower the heat and add the cockles. Cook for another 10 minutes or once the cockles start to open.
- Try the rice and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve with a squeeze of lemon or aioli.
