Paella Rules! and Paella Rules

One of the best things about Spain is PAELLA! I knew nothing of paella before moving to Spain and it is now one of my absolute favorite meals. For those of you don’t know what paella is, it is a traditional Spanish rice dish. The name “paella” actually refers to the type of pan it is cooked in - a large flat circular pan cooked over fire. The dish originated in the rice fields of Valencia, Spain, and all of the “Communitat Valencia” (the region we live in) takes great pride in growing and harvesting the rice used in traditional paellas. In addition to the rice, another key ingredient is saffron (the world’s most labor-intensive, and therefore, most expensive spice).

There are various types of paella, although Valencianos may argue that traditional Paella Valenciana is the only true paella. It includes rabbit, chicken, snails, white beans, and artichokes.

However, since we don’t eat meat, our go-to is Paella de Mariscos (seafood) which typically contains a mix of fish, shrimp, clams, and mussels.

There is also Paella Mixta (mix of meat, seafood, and vegetables), Paella Negra (cooked in squid ink which changes the color of the rice to black), and Paella Vegetariana (just veggies).

Paella is like pizza in many ways: everybody likes (if not loves it), it’s round, you share it, and you order it in advance (unless you’re skilled enough to make it yourself!). It’s traditionally eaten straight out of the pan- that’s why it’s important to respect your triangle area. However, in restaurants, they serve it with plates. It should always be accompanied with alioli (Mediterranean sauce consisting of garlic, olive oil, egg, vinegar, and salt). When you order a paella, you pick it up in the pan and take it home. Therefore you must leave a €80 (or so) cash deposit with the restaurant so they know they will get their pan back.

To me, paella is much more than a delicious dish. It is an experience that can last between two to five hours because you typically enjoy it with family or friends. Paella is to be eaten for “comer” anywhere between 2-4pm (it’s too large a meal to eat for “cena”, or dinner, which is normally a light meal / tapas around 9pm. I’ll never forget the first time our friends invited us to lunch at restaurant “El Corral de Pato” (what used to be a duck corral). We arrived just after one and started with wine. Then we ordered tapas: artichokes, sardines, shrimp, bread, and alioli. An hour and a half later the paella arrived and we picked away at it for another two hours while we talked. After paella, is postre (dessert) and coffee, and perhaps “hierbas," a Spanish liqueur digestif. We left the restaurant just before six o’clock- nearly five hours later!!! And this is a typical Spanish dining experience - no rush, relish in each other’s company and enjoy the delicious food. When the kids get restless they go run around outside in the courtyard. I love that kids learn how to dine like adults.

When Volly turned 7 this past May, all she wanted for her birthday was to invite a few friends to her favorite restaurant for paella! ¡Qué preciosa!

I would love one day to master, or even successfully execute paella - even though it is typically the man’s meal to cook. (My female Spanish friend explained that men like to cook the paella so they get out of cleaning up afterward, which is where the real work comes into play.) I’ve made paella at home in a frying pan on the stove, which is okay, but doesn't resembles anything close to delicious paella cooked in a seasoned pan.

Paella is an art that will take a lot of practice and requires certain tools. I did hire a woman to teach me and some friends how to make a paella which was somewhat helpful. I took notes, pictures, and video so that when I purchase my tripod grill, gas pan, and paella pan I’ll be ready to go.

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MY PAELLA NOTES

Paella de Mariscos (Seafood paella)

Preparation:

• Paella Ring
• Paella Pan
• Large stirring spoon with holes
• Gas tank and hose to connect it
• Cannot be in a place with any wind
• If not cooking ring on a tripod, use cardboard underneath the cook ring on top of counter
• Several large pots
• Kitchen scissors and knives
• Newspaper or large roll of tablecloth paper to cover at the end

Ingredients:

• Salt and Pepper
• Garlic
• Grocery List:

Preparing the seafood:

• Cut tip and legs (hairy looking parts off the prawns) so this doesn’t fall off into paella
• Sepia (cuttlefish)- cut out peck/eyes/hard part of head, clean the inside and take out bone. The smaller the better when purchasing sepia because the small ones won’t be as tough (although this is more work to clean them)

Fish Stock:

• Spare bones and head (not meat) of monkfish (rape) boiled in water

Pour oil on cold pan and let is spread. You will be able to tell if the pan is level by watching to see if the oil spreads evenly.

Turn on small ring and warm up the oil. Once hot, cook the prawns. They will be done in about 30 seconds. Remove the prawns and set to the side.

Next you will cook the sepia for 8-10 minutes (you have to test it to know when it’s done). Make sure to constantly stir so no parts stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the cleaned and cut up monkfish.

Sauce:

• Onions (1 small)
• 2 heaping spoons of salt (FINE - not sea salt)
• 1 garlic clove per person
• Handful of parsley
• 500 gram of chopped tomatoes - can be fresh or canned.

Put all sauce ingredients in a bowl and blend together with a hand mixer, then add it to the squid and monkfish.

Add dry rice

Add fish stock (3 parts stock to 1 part rice) with paella seasoning - 1 packet (About 1 kilo stock per 10 people)

All 3 rings should be lit now. Stir the paella for a bit. Let it settle and cook.

Pay attention as it cooks to the smell. Are the outsides getting burned?Keep testing the softness of the rice. Add more (fine) salt to flavor if needed, but only add when there is still liquid in pan otherwise it’s too late.

¡Que aprovecho!