Hi guys, sadly we're facing a lockdown and there's no way we can go out and enjoy a really nice meal. Thinking about that, I decided to share with you the history of Paella so maybe you can try to cook it yourself :)
Paella is undoubtedly one of the emblematic dishes of Spanish gastronomy, especially Valencian, but before I tell you about the history of this dish, I need to start by telling you that Paella is a kind of frying pan with a large surface, with two or more small handles and little depth. This ratio allows the ingredients that are prepared in it to be properly cooked.
It is the star dish of Spanish gastronomy but mainly from the cuisine of the Valencia area, this typical Valencian stew of rice cooked with chicken, rabbit and vegetables such as green beans, although it can also be made with fish and seafood. You can find paella in practically all the restaurants in the country.
It is important to know that the rice does not originate in Spain but it does come from Southeast Asia and India and was brought to Spain thousands of years ago. As its cultivation was difficult because the rice needs a lot of humidity and the Mediterranean is a very dry sea. In Valencia there is some remote evidence of rice in Roman times, all its cultivation was close to wetlands and swampy areas, and the one that stands out the most for being the largest and most central is La Albufera de Valencia, a narrow arm of the sea that left closing until creating a lake of half fresh and half salty water surrounded by springs, where the flooded lands were perfect for cultivation.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the next great cultures that arrived were the Arab and the Berber, bringing with them the creation of large orchards and irrigation systems to take advantage of the water, but most importantly, a new cooking utensil called “Patella” which was perfect for cooking Valencian rice because it was metal, low and flat, unlike the other tall and round clay utensils, which allowed a better distribution of the temperature to the sides instead of upwards.
For centuries, rice could only be cultivated in very few places, especially on the shores that kept the fresh water in the Albufera lake, many years later, with the arrival of the industrial revolution, the Albufera changed, rice now It was an exportable product with a good market, so it started to drain to grow it en masse. Along with the mass production of metal objects, paella spread throughout Valencia, from the mountains to the coast, it was an easy, fast and very complete food. At that time the paella recipe was also standardized, ingredients from the gardens were used everywhere and the original meats of water rat and game duck were replaced by farm rabbit and free-range chicken and the use became popular of saffron, which gives it the golden color.
During the 20th century, paella was already the star dish in Valencia and due to its flavor, color and originality it became famous throughout Spain. Today there are five different traditional recipes, each with its independent characteristics, they are:
- Valencian Paella: It has green beans, bean, chicken and rabbit meat.
- Paella Marinera: It carries rockfish, cuttlefish and Mediterranean seafood, typical of the coastal area.
- Winter / black Paella: It has the same as the Valencian paella but the vegetables are exchanged for artichokes, cauliflower, young beans.
- Bull liver Paella: Typical of the Valencian garden and which is made up of a shell from the old slaughter of oxen.
- Cod Paella: Typical of Lent, this recipe has cauliflower and salted cod.
Currently paella is internationally known and is acclaimed as one of the most famous and popular dishes in the world and in history. In 2012 the Valencian government established the Rafael Mármol recipe with 10 ingredients as the only one that could truly be called Valencian Paella.
But not only that, there is also the World Paella Day as a recognition of the most universal dish in the gastronomy of Valencia. This year the celebration must take place on September 20 in the cities of Valencia, Madrid, Paris, Quito, Tokyo, etc.
With 8 million annual searches on the internet, which make it the fourth most important dish on the planet.
Ok, so now that you learn about the history of Paella, what about trying to make it on your own? Remember, a Paella can only be made with the Paella pan, don't try to prepare it with a normal pan.
Recipe of Traditional Valencian Paella
Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
1 generous pinch saffron threads (loosely packed ¼ tsp.)
1 lb. bone-in chicken thighs and legs, most but not all of the skin removed, meat cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
1 lb. cleaned rabbit on the bone, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
2 tsp. kosher salt
4 1⁄2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 lb. flat green beans, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
2 ripe medium tomatoes, seeded and grated on a box grater
2 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Spanish pimentón dulce (sweet paprika)
1⁄2 lb. shucked mature lima beans, fresh or frozen and thawed (about 2 cups)
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 cups bomba rice or another short- or medium-grain Spanish rice
Instructions
In a small dry skillet, add the saffron over medium-high heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the strands are brittle and darken slightly, 3–4 minutes. Remove to a small bowl and grind the saffron between fingers. Set aside.
Season the chicken and rabbit with 1 teaspoon salt. Combine the chicken stock with 4 cups water and set the meat and the stock mixture separately next to the stove.
In a 17- to 18-inch paella pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and rabbit pieces and cook, turning the pieces and rotating the pan as needed over the heat source, until the meat is deeply browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the green beans. Cook, stirring and turning the beans occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Stir in the pimentón, then immediately pour in the stock mixture. Add the lima beans and saffron.
Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil; reduce to a gentle boil and let cook, rotating the pan occasionally over the heat source as needed, for 20 minutes. Taste the liquid and add up to 1 tsp. salt if needed. Return the heat to high and bring the liquid back to a strong boil. Add the rosemary sprig, then sprinkle the rice around the pan. Using a wooden spoon, make sure the rice is evenly distributed and all the grains are submerged (this should be the last time you stir the paella); cook for 10 minutes over high heat. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig. Lower the heat to low and simmer gently, rotating the pan over the heat source as needed, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice grains are just tender but still have an al dente bite to them, 10–15 minutes. (If all of the liquid has evaporated and the rice is still not done, drizzle some additional stock or water over the rice where needed and continue cooking for a few minutes more.) If needed, to develop socarrat, turn the heat back up to medium and cook, watching and smelling closely for burning, until the rice at the bottom of the pan browns and crisps slightly, 1–2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Let the rice rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the starches to firm up slightly. (If the top layer of rice seems a tad too firm, cover the pan with a few paper towels or a clean kitchen towel while it rests.)
One thing I highly recommend is anytime you come to Spain, always look on Google or in your hotel for a good restaurant recommendation, never, but I mean, NEVER go to a restaurant in a super touristic place or super cheap, as much as you don't wanna spend a lot of money with some nice local tips you can have a extraordinary experience and not paying much. Also, remember my post talking about the restaurants in Barcelona and my advice to use The Fork App? Go with it and enjoy!
See ya!
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