Or: The courage to not stir
To better understand Paella, let’s start with a look at its fundamental aspects – because they are what make the dish what it is: a culinary symbol of Spain, full of depth, colour and flavour.
First of all, a note: for purists, a Paella is only one specific preparation, the other types are simply called ‘Arroz’. We don’t take such a narrow view and use both terms. Pedimos la paz.
Rice
Paella is a rice dish made with japonica rice, a round-grained type that absorbs flavours perfectly. The best-known varieties are called Albufera, Bahía and Bomba – they all come from the east of Spain and are often certified by protected designations of origin such as Arroz de Valencia.
90 – 110 g of rice per person is the right amount for preparing a paella. The rice cooks in 16 – 18 minutes, depending on the exact variety and situation (the heat of the pan, but also environmental influences always play a role; that’s the way it is when cooking).
Olive oil
A good Paella needs extra virgin olive oil – nothing else. Its fruity flavour is an integral part of Paella and under no circumstances should it be replaced by any other oil.
Garlic
Garlic is omnipresent in Spanish cuisine. For Paella, it is usually finely chopped and fried in olive oil before paprika powder and tomatoes are added. It should be sautéed to develop its full flavour, but not burnt – otherwise it will become bitter.
Pimentón de la Vera
The famous sweet, smoked paprika powder from Extremadura, Spain’s westernmost region, not only gives Paella its bright colour, but also its unmistakable flavour. It is made from smoked peppers and only needs to be roasted in oil for a few seconds – then the aromas simply burst.
Saffron
Indispensable – not because of its colour, but because of its aroma. Saffron also gives Paella its characteristic flavour. Just a tiny pinch is enough – but it makes all the difference. You would buy DOP Azafrán de La Mancha from Spain, but there is also top-quality saffron from Iran and Turkey.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes form the basis of many Paellas. Ripe, fleshy varieties are ideal. Freshly grated or as good peeled tinned tomatoes – it’s all about the best quality at the given time of year and availability.
Stock
The stock is the invisible backbone of any Paella. The better it is, the better the dish. Vegetable, fish or meat broths – homemade or top quality purchased – give the rice its flavour.
In a Paella, no liquid remains after cooking, the rice absorbs the stock completely and is then ‘seco’.
Other preparations are ‘meloso’, where the rice remains slightly more moist. If more liquid surrounds the rice in a dish, it is called ‘caldoso’.
The standard ratio for a Paella with Spanish rice is: 3 parts stock to 1 part rice.
When preparing a Paella, do not stir under any circumstances once the stock has been added. This would release more starch from the rice and lead to a much too creamy, completely wrong result. Paella is not a risotto.
Salmorreta
Paella can be made with Salmorreta, but it doesn’t have to be. This is a great seasoning paste that is very easy to make and which we have explained here.
The pan
The classic Paella pan is wide, flat and made of steel. If you don’t have a Paella pan, you can use a large frying pan, but you can hardly prepare more than three portions in it, as the rice must not be higher than 2 cm, otherwise this method of preparation simply won’t work.
If you are interested in making Paella, you should buy a Paella pan. This is not a big investment and they are available for every type of cooker (induction in our case, and there are also very good models in a reasonable size for the household – for many portions we simply use two pans).
Socarrat
The ultimate goal when preparing Paella is the thinnest layer of just-right toasted rice at the bottom of the pan, called Socarrat.
Make no mistake: Paella is anything but a simple dish. If you can prepare it well, you really know how to cook. This involves developing a feeling for the evolution of a dish. A combination of perceptions such as sight and smell paired with experience.
Is there too little stock in the pan? Then perhaps a little – very little – needs to be added. Is the rice undercooked? Then it may need to be covered (this is often done with aluminium foil, but baking paper works much better).
We will try to explain all these aspects in more detail in the near future. So that one evening you can enjoy a home-made delicacy like this one, without any convenience ingredients:
