Paella! The Number One dish for Valencia people. We love it!
Paella comes originally from the outskirts of Valencia and nowadays it is known worldwide. Most common known, the seafood or mixta version, but here, the winner is the "tradicional pollo y conejo" which is what we say the traditional, made of chicken and rabbit meat.
I have seen many interpretations of this beautiful meal that have made me feel very embarrassed, specially when I hear it been called p.a.e.l.a, and cooked with long grain rice... please make the double L like a j (jam, jar..) and use proper bomba rice, and you will get it all right.
Here, I offer you a very authentic recipe of this stunning dish cooked by my parents. I hope it will help you to learn how valencianos understand Paella and that it will inspire you, wherever you are, to cook and share a bit of Spain with your family and friends.
Paella comes originally from the outskirts of Valencia and nowadays it is known worldwide. Most common known, the seafood or mixta version, but here, the winner is the "tradicional pollo y conejo" which is what we say the traditional, made of chicken and rabbit meat.
I have seen many interpretations of this beautiful meal that have made me feel very embarrassed, specially when I hear it been called p.a.e.l.a, and cooked with long grain rice... please make the double L like a j (jam, jar..) and use proper bomba rice, and you will get it all right.
Here, I offer you a very authentic recipe of this stunning dish cooked by my parents. I hope it will help you to learn how valencianos understand Paella and that it will inspire you, wherever you are, to cook and share a bit of Spain with your family and friends.
Mostly and almost only eaten at lunch. We think tourist are mad eating it at night (as it can be a too heavy meal for a good night sleep), the only excuse to eat it at night is if you are going to party all night (as we Spanish love to do in our "fiestas". Sometimes we do a paella competition as part of the night fiesta).
So, yes, always a great dish for Sunday lunch, and family reunions, parties, friends get together or visiting.... but remember, we only do it at lunch. Once you got the practice, you can feed loads of people at a very good value, and yes, you are right, this is not a dish you would cook for one person. Paella always gets people together, and normally to share fun, life, emotions,... you name it, so yes, Paella it is not only food for us, it is about social networking and sharing, this is really the bid deal about this rice recipe cooked in a flat pan with two handles.
Do you know many dishes that make you feel the same?, if you know, leave me a comment with the name or a link of a recipe and I will look for it. I would love to learn from you.
Now, lets get busy. There are many types of paella, meat, fish, vegetarian, etc.. but the cooking process is more o less same. My parents always add seasonal vegetables to the basic one, flat french bean, in this case artichoke (winter). The french beans you see in the picture are frozen, but they are from their summer garden harvest . The white beans you see are called "garrofó", you can use broad beans or any semi-cooked white bean if you don´t have available.
So, yes, always a great dish for Sunday lunch, and family reunions, parties, friends get together or visiting.... but remember, we only do it at lunch. Once you got the practice, you can feed loads of people at a very good value, and yes, you are right, this is not a dish you would cook for one person. Paella always gets people together, and normally to share fun, life, emotions,... you name it, so yes, Paella it is not only food for us, it is about social networking and sharing, this is really the bid deal about this rice recipe cooked in a flat pan with two handles.
Do you know many dishes that make you feel the same?, if you know, leave me a comment with the name or a link of a recipe and I will look for it. I would love to learn from you.
Now, lets get busy. There are many types of paella, meat, fish, vegetarian, etc.. but the cooking process is more o less same. My parents always add seasonal vegetables to the basic one, flat french bean, in this case artichoke (winter). The french beans you see in the picture are frozen, but they are from their summer garden harvest . The white beans you see are called "garrofó", you can use broad beans or any semi-cooked white bean if you don´t have available.
Rabbit in Spain is a very tender meat and quite mild, (I have tried rabbit in England that was stronger in flavors and fat) so I suggest if you leave in a place where rabbit is too strong or you or those eating it don´t like the idea of Bugs Bunny in your food, cook it only with chicken, just double the amount. On the other hand, if you don´t have any problem, try to add rabbit, as it is worth it.
We, at home, add to the traditional paella the meat balls that we use for the christmas soup, as my dad is originally from Villareal (Castellón) and that area add also those meat balls.
The prawns are on the top for decoration purpose, make the presentation more festive.
We show you here the best way to cook it, which is on an open fire, fan-tas-tic!, but most of you will do it on the stove of your kitchen, just adjust the pan you buy to the size of your stove. Making paella is about practice and more practice and eventually you will master it, don´t worry if the first time doesn´t come out perferct, you will need to get to know your pan and the measurements of liquid and rice you need, that´s all. Be patient amigo and you will be the most loved of your friends and family!.
We, at home, add to the traditional paella the meat balls that we use for the christmas soup, as my dad is originally from Villareal (Castellón) and that area add also those meat balls.
The prawns are on the top for decoration purpose, make the presentation more festive.
We show you here the best way to cook it, which is on an open fire, fan-tas-tic!, but most of you will do it on the stove of your kitchen, just adjust the pan you buy to the size of your stove. Making paella is about practice and more practice and eventually you will master it, don´t worry if the first time doesn´t come out perferct, you will need to get to know your pan and the measurements of liquid and rice you need, that´s all. Be patient amigo and you will be the most loved of your friends and family!.
Lets get started!
Feeding 6 people
Half chicken in small pieces
Half rabbit in small pieces
6 meat balls (check the recipe in the Christmas Soup)
400 gr. rice (Fallera brand, Bomba type)
250 gr. french beans chopped in small pieces
100 gr. broad beans
3 cloves of garlic
1 tomato
1 tsp of sweet paprika
Saffron
Salt
Water
4 King prawns
Salt and fry the meat until well cooked and golden, then add the minced garlic and saffron, fry for a few seconds and add the chopped tomato and the sweet paprika and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the vegetables and beans and stir everything for a minute or two while it lightly cooks and gets temperature. Add the water up to the top of the pan and bring it to the boil. Let it cook for half hour and add again water after 20 minutes so all meat is well cover while cooking, taste and see if any more salt needs to be added. Cook further 20-25 minutes, when you can feel that meat is tenderized it´s time to add the colorant if you haven´t use saffron and then the rice.
You can see my dad´s system in the pictures. He makes a cross with the rice (it is the correct amount when you see the top of the rice on the surface) and then distribute evenly in the pan with a skimmer.
When broth starts bubbling again add the meat balls and the prawns. Start cooking the rice with high heat and reduce it after 10 minutes or until all the broth is absorbed. Normally about 15 minutes.
The rice may burn a bit to the bottom of the pan, but don´t worry as this is what we call the "socarrat" this is when the rice at the bottom gets crunchy and dark. (Chris´s favorite part!.. delicious he says!)
Then turn of the heat and leave it rest for another 5 to 10 minutes so rice can absorbe all remaning juices and flavors.
!Que aproveche!
....and after the meal let me know how was the experience for your and your friends or family, leave comments, I would love to know more about you.
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