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Paella
I have already received a couple of private messages from members requesting a recipe for paella. The 2000 character limit on messages makes it impossible to send it by that route, so thought I would just post it for you all.
Paella
This is a traditional dish from the Valencia region, Spain’s main rice-producing area. The name of this dish is not really what the name means. The “paella” is the large, flat pan used to cook the rice in. Speaking as a purist, the dish done in this pan is traditionally called “rice done in the paella one way or another”. However, as is customary in language, popular usage now refers to paella as a rice dish. In any case, remember that the main objective in making a paella is to get flavor into the rice. This is done by using a myriad of ingredients which go into the pan in a logical order. Anything that won’t cook in 15 minutes must be pre-cooked. So here is a recipe using meat and seafood to demonstrate what I mean.
Note: If you don’t have a paella (pan) you can use a wide shallow skillet. But the idea is to keep the rice and ingredients no higher that 1 inch in order for it to cook properly.
Ingredients:
(6 servings)
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
½ chicken in small pieces
500 grams pork, cubed
500 grams whole shrimp
500 grams clams
500 grams white fish
12 mussels
500 grams short-grain rice (do not use parboiled or long grain)
1 liter water or broth (chicken, fish or meat as you like), boiling
1 can red pimiento cut in strips
Small package frozen peas
1. Heat the olive in the pan.
2. Brown the chicken and pork and remove.
3. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook down to thick.
4. Add the rice and fry until opaque.
5. Add the water or stock, the pre-fried meats, peas, shrimp, clams and fish.
6. Stir.
7. Place the mussels, large end down, into the rice one by one in a concentric circle.
8. Decorate with strips of pimiento.
9. Bring to the boil and then turn the fire to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is “al dente”.
10. Do not stir. If you like “socarat” (browned rice on the bottom) turn the fire up for the last few minutes.
11. Remove from fire and let rest covered with newspaper for 5 minutes before serving.
Note: To make a seafood paella, omit the meat in the ingredients list. In procedures, leave out step 2 and the meat in step 5. You may increase the types of seafood with no problem. Or substitute anything that is not to your liking.
Note: Paella can be done on a barbeque with wood or at the beach. This gives a pleasant smoky taste. Resist the temptation to do it in an oven. This gives it a different texture and usually results in sticky grains of rice.
Some recipes call for onion as well but I was once told by an old Spanish lady from Valencia that you should never use onion as it makes the rice soft and sticky. But if you like onion, put it in with the garlic and tomato and reduce the amount of liquid a little. There is no list of “authentic” ingredients so be as creative as you like.
Have a problem? Just contact me. Always ready to help.
Paella
This is a traditional dish from the Valencia region, Spain’s main rice-producing area. The name of this dish is not really what the name means. The “paella” is the large, flat pan used to cook the rice in. Speaking as a purist, the dish done in this pan is traditionally called “rice done in the paella one way or another”. However, as is customary in language, popular usage now refers to paella as a rice dish. In any case, remember that the main objective in making a paella is to get flavor into the rice. This is done by using a myriad of ingredients which go into the pan in a logical order. Anything that won’t cook in 15 minutes must be pre-cooked. So here is a recipe using meat and seafood to demonstrate what I mean.
Note: If you don’t have a paella (pan) you can use a wide shallow skillet. But the idea is to keep the rice and ingredients no higher that 1 inch in order for it to cook properly.
Ingredients:
(6 servings)
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
½ chicken in small pieces
500 grams pork, cubed
500 grams whole shrimp
500 grams clams
500 grams white fish
12 mussels
500 grams short-grain rice (do not use parboiled or long grain)
1 liter water or broth (chicken, fish or meat as you like), boiling
1 can red pimiento cut in strips
Small package frozen peas
1. Heat the olive in the pan.
2. Brown the chicken and pork and remove.
3. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook down to thick.
4. Add the rice and fry until opaque.
5. Add the water or stock, the pre-fried meats, peas, shrimp, clams and fish.
6. Stir.
7. Place the mussels, large end down, into the rice one by one in a concentric circle.
8. Decorate with strips of pimiento.
9. Bring to the boil and then turn the fire to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is “al dente”.
10. Do not stir. If you like “socarat” (browned rice on the bottom) turn the fire up for the last few minutes.
11. Remove from fire and let rest covered with newspaper for 5 minutes before serving.
Note: To make a seafood paella, omit the meat in the ingredients list. In procedures, leave out step 2 and the meat in step 5. You may increase the types of seafood with no problem. Or substitute anything that is not to your liking.
Note: Paella can be done on a barbeque with wood or at the beach. This gives a pleasant smoky taste. Resist the temptation to do it in an oven. This gives it a different texture and usually results in sticky grains of rice.
Some recipes call for onion as well but I was once told by an old Spanish lady from Valencia that you should never use onion as it makes the rice soft and sticky. But if you like onion, put it in with the garlic and tomato and reduce the amount of liquid a little. There is no list of “authentic” ingredients so be as creative as you like.
Have a problem? Just contact me. Always ready to help.
New member saying hi
Hello to the group. I just joined and would like to introduce myself.
My name is Richard Stephens and I am a retired professional chef and restaurant owner now living in glorious retirement in a small village in the mountains of Spain about 90 minutes to the north of Madrid.
Two years ago after 25 years of "restauranting", I retired and sold my restaurant, La Gamella in Madrid, to a friend and a young Spanish chef.
I now cook socially and occasionally give private classes in my home to tourists through a service agency in Madrid.
I don't claim to know everything but I am pretty well versed in Spanish cuisine. So, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me and I will certainly share anything I know.
My name is Richard Stephens and I am a retired professional chef and restaurant owner now living in glorious retirement in a small village in the mountains of Spain about 90 minutes to the north of Madrid.
Two years ago after 25 years of "restauranting", I retired and sold my restaurant, La Gamella in Madrid, to a friend and a young Spanish chef.
I now cook socially and occasionally give private classes in my home to tourists through a service agency in Madrid.
I don't claim to know everything but I am pretty well versed in Spanish cuisine. So, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me and I will certainly share anything I know.
