Birthplace Of Paella

The Best Paella Pan 

 My Gotta Have It Kitchen Tool

Every Sunday here in Spain as regular as the English cook a roast dinner, the paella (pan) comes out.

I would be outcast by my Spanish friends, confirmed as heathen or Guiri, if it wasn't for my 26"- 65cm Polished Steel Paella Pan.

When you think about it, there are a few things in the kitchen that are favourites, that Sabatier knife maybe, the odd shaped fork or even a simple cup, a gift from a loved one. When on a mission to do something in the kitchen, and those things that you prefer to use are missing or in the dishwasher it can be annoying - okay slightly neurotic.

One of my favourite tools is my Paella and after its use, it is wiped with olive oil to stop it from rusting.

There is a vast range of paellas (pans) for sale, but traditionally polished steel pans are thought of as the best in Spain. The centre of the pan should have a depressed well so the meat can be cooked in oil first, and the outside bottom of the pan must be dimpled for heat distribution to the whole of the pan.

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 SOCARRAT

(soh-kah-raht, from the verb socarrar, to toast lightly)

If you want to cook an authentic Spanish Paella it must have a socarrat, a lightly crusted rice layer on the bottom of the pan. This is done by turning up the heat a few minutes before the dish is ready the rice will make a crackling sound. When it does turn off the heat so as not to burn the rice and leave it to stand with a teacloth over it not a lid.

 

El Palmar Valencia Spain

 

The first time I watched a real Paella being made was at the Moors and Christian festival week In Villajoyosa Alicante. People competed in the street using wood fires, preparing the broth first before adding the rice.

Valencia enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers, and is a popular coastal resort providing all the amenities and activities necessary for an excellent travel and holiday destination.

Valencia has several top quality beaches on offer to enjoy, like the beaches of Benicasim and Oropesa or the superb beaches and dunes of the Canet d'En. To the south nature is king in L'albufera reserve and Saler beach.

El Palmar at the side of the Albufera lake in Valencia is the famous village that the Paella originated. You will be able to savour a genuine paella cooked on a wood fire in plenty of eateries.

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 Authentic Paella

PAELLA is the most famous dish of Spanish cuisine, typically eaten at mid-day.
Paella in Valencian means pan. In Spanish Castilian the word for pan is Paellera.

A Valencian Paella uses local ingredients like a variety of bean called garrofó and also green beans rotjet, ferraura and tabella. Lots of tomatoes, paprika, olive oil and saffron are added and Artichoke when in season.

 

 Ingredients

• Chicken 700 g. 8 to 10 medium pieces
• Rabbit 300 g. 4 to 6 medium pieces.
• 1 tablespoon of ground paprika.
• Saffron to taste
• 12 tablespoons chopped fresh tomato
• 400 g wide green bean (Ferraurarotjet).
• 100 g Butter beans
• 3 Artichokes
• 100 g White beans (tabella)
• 15 cl. Or 150 gr Virgin olive oil
• 320 g Short-grain Rice
• Salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in the pan until it starts to smoke then add the rabbit and chicken turn to brown all over.
2. Chopped the vegetables and sauté a few minutes in the pan, stir in the tomatoes and paprika for a few minutes.
3. Pour in the water close to the edge adding salt and cook for 20 minutes adding more water to keep the level up now add the rice.

4. Paella

   Paella de Marisco, with fish or seafood 

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