Paella is not just a dish; it is an experience that embraces the rich flavours and traditions of Spain. Here is a step-by-step guide to preparing the perfect paella, straight from the region of Valencia.
Gather your ingredients
- 300 grams Bomba rice (or another short, round rice variety)
- 500 grams of seafood (prawns, mussels, squid, etc.)
- 250 g chicken or rabbit, cut into pieces
- 100 g chorizo, sliced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, cut into strips
- 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
- 100 g peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 250 ml fish stock
- A few strands of saffron
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare your ingredients
- Marinate the seafood with some olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large paellera or wide, shallow pan over medium-high heat.
Fry the chicken, rabbit and chorizo
- Fry the chicken or rabbit pieces golden brown in the pan.
- Add the chorizo and fry until crispy.
- Remove the chicken, rabbit and chorizo from the pan and set aside.
Prepare the sofrito
- Add some extra olive oil to the pan if needed.
- Fry the onion, garlic, red pepper and tomatoes in the pan until they are soft and form a thick sauce, this is known as the sofrito.
- Add the rice to the sofrito and fry briefly until the grains are shiny.
Add the stock
- Heat the chicken stock and fish stock in a separate pan.
- Dissolve the saffron threads in a little warm stock.
- Pour the hot stock over the rice in the pan, making sure the rice is evenly distributed.
Cook the paella
- Divide the seafood, chicken, rabbit and chorizo evenly among the paella.
- Sprinkle the peas over the paella.
- Laat de paella op middelhoog vuur ongeveer 15-20 minuten sudderen, of tot de rijst gaar is en de bouillon is opgenomen.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Socarrat forms
- If necessary, increase the heat and cook the paella for another 2-3 minutes, allowing a crispy crust, called socarrat, to form on the underside.
Serve and enjoy
- Remove the paella pan from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Serve the paella straight from the pan, garnished with lemon wedges.
- Enjoy this delicious, authentic Spanish delicacy with friends and family.
However, the secret to a perfect paella lies not only in the ingredients, but also in the way of preparing. It is essential to use a large, shallow pan, known as a paellera, which spreads the rice evenly and creates a crispy, caramelised crust on the underside, known as socarrat. It is this crust that gives paella its distinctive texture and flavour, and is cherished by foodies around the world. So get cooking soon and conjure up a delicious paella yourself! ¡Buen provecho!