Spanish Food – The Perfect Paella

Are you looking for a traditional Spanish recipe? Undoubtedly, the best known will be the prodigious paella… that tasty, adaptable, gregarious dish, famous throughout Spain and the world.

And what an impressive selection of recipes there is for a delicious paella: seafood, chicken, rabbit… or a mix of all three! Maybe you don’t eat meat… well, just opt ​​for one of the several vegetarian paella recipes. A bit of a health freak? Then substitute brown rice or wild rice for the white rice.

Do you have a large family and do not have much money to feed them? Use lots of rice and imagination along with tasty broth, plus whatever you can find in the cupboard! I have certainly enjoyed many paellas where there has been more bone/shell than meat/seafood! And, very tasty too, the company’s wealth more than makes up for any scarcity in ingredients.

So… how do you go about making the perfect paella? First of all, you have to choose your rice. Short-grain rice from Valencia, where most Spanish rice originates, is fine for making paellas. However, bomba rice, grown in the neighboring Region of Murcia, is the “king” of paella rice: again, short-grained, it has the ability to absorb the broth while remaining firm.

Another “must” is to use saffron (“saffron”) to create the soft yellow color for which this delicious dish is famous. Yes, it is possible to buy cheaper artificial colors, but… go traditional: it will give you a wonderful aroma and a unique flavor.

Many Spaniards look like a perfect paella can only be achieved with a tasty homemade broth. Whatever you decide, leave at least twice as much liquid as the rice. If during cooking the dish dries out a little, just add a little more water or broth.

Another piece of advice that I have been told, on more than one occasion, is to fry the rice for a few minutes before adding the broth, making sure that it is well covered in oil. I think all Spaniards would agree that, once cooked, it is better to let the paella rest for a good five minutes before serving.

Perhaps the most important ingredient to make that perfect paella is to apply love in its preparation -which surely is something that we can all afford- and enjoy the wonderful company of those who will share it to the fullest. you.

Now I will have to choose a paella recipe to offer you as an example! I think I’ll opt for a seafood paella, typical of the Valencia region, where I live. Ingredients are for four hearty servings. If you don’t eat much or are not on a diet, slightly reduce the amount of rice/broth.

Valencian Paella – Paella From Valencia

Ingredients:

– 4 cups of rice.
– 8 small glasses of fish broth.
– 8 king size prawns/langoustines.
– 8 mussels.
– 200 g of prawns.
– 200 g of peas (fresh or frozen).
– 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
– 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced.
– 3 shredded saffron strands.
– Olive oil for frying.

Method:

1. Sautéed garlic in a paella pan.

2. Add the tomatoes, peas, shrimp and saffron.

3. Cook for a few minutes.

4. Add rice and broth.

5. Cook over low heat for approximately 20 minutes.

6. Decorate with prawns and mussels.

7. Cover the paella with a lid.

8. Poach the seafood for a few minutes.

9. Decorate the paella with lemon quarters.

10. Enjoy!