Paella, like many of the dishes that we eat today, started with the availability of its products to the peasants that went to work in the fields or to the "albufera" a salt water lagoon and estuary in Valencia, Spain, where most of the rice in spain is grown. Another place that grows rice is the Ebro River Delta. The name paella comes from the latin word for pan "patella," the shallow pan where it is cooked, the pan is made of steel or stainless steel. The paella pan after used and cleaned should be rubbed with olive oil.
The most common ingredients at the time were chicken, rabbit, beans, eel, snails, artichokes and of course the rice. The peasants cooked the paella in the fields over an open fire. Since then, people have made many combinations and variations, but the base is the rice, a short round grain called "Bomba" or "Calasparra" and the broth. The most popular combinations are vegetable paella with a vegetable broth, a meat paella (chicken, rabbit and pork ribs), a seafood (shrimp, cuttlefish or squid, "cigalas," also known as langoustines, mussels, clams, and monkfish) with the fish broth and lastly mixta, seafood and meat.
The last ingredient is the saffron, which is the most expensive spice on the market, the reason its highly priced is that it comes from the saffron crocus plant which yields about 4 flowers each and from the plant you only use the stigmas, and they are harvested by hand, so imagine what it takes for a pound of saffron. Once the saffron is harvested, it is dried. To get the best coloring and flavor put it in a pan to toast, but be careful not burn it, and then pour hot water over it.
Ingredients in the order I use them:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
6 Squids, cut in squares, include legs
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2/3 Cup Homemade Tomato Sauce (look at the "Three Sauces" entry)
9 Cups Fish Broth with the saffron (9 to 12 stigmas). I use fish bouillon, every brand has a different ratio.
3 Cups "Bomba" or "Calasparra" Rice or a short grain rice
3 Small Artichokes Hearts, cut in fours
2/3 Cups Peas
1/2 Cup Red Roasted Peppers cut in julianne.
3 Littleneck Clams per person.
3 Mussels per person
3 Shrimp per person
1 Langoustine per person, if you can't find them it's fine.
In a paella pan or a shallow pan we put the oil and the cuttlefish or squid. When it changes color, add the sweet paprika, be careful not to burn it, otherwise it will give a bitter flavor. Add the tomato sauce, and stir it. Add the fish bouillon and the rice in the form of a cross, then spread evenly. Bring everything to a boil, turn the heat to low and add the artichokes, peas and roasted peppers.
As the rice absorbs the broth add first the clams as they start opening, then add the shrimp, the langoustines and finally the mussels. One thing to keep in mind is, when you add the seafood, you are adding great flavorful liquid so cover it with aluminum paper until done. If your rice is a little burnt at the bottom, don't worry, the people from Valencia say it is the best part and they call it "socarrat." Serve with lemon wedges.
Some people cook the seafood one at a time and then put them aside. Then they cook the rice with the vegetables and at the last minute they add the seafood out of their shells.
You can find Shrimp (gambas), prawns (langoustines) and langoustines (cigalas) tiny lobsters and www.latienda.com
The most common ingredients at the time were chicken, rabbit, beans, eel, snails, artichokes and of course the rice. The peasants cooked the paella in the fields over an open fire. Since then, people have made many combinations and variations, but the base is the rice, a short round grain called "Bomba" or "Calasparra" and the broth. The most popular combinations are vegetable paella with a vegetable broth, a meat paella (chicken, rabbit and pork ribs), a seafood (shrimp, cuttlefish or squid, "cigalas," also known as langoustines, mussels, clams, and monkfish) with the fish broth and lastly mixta, seafood and meat.
The last ingredient is the saffron, which is the most expensive spice on the market, the reason its highly priced is that it comes from the saffron crocus plant which yields about 4 flowers each and from the plant you only use the stigmas, and they are harvested by hand, so imagine what it takes for a pound of saffron. Once the saffron is harvested, it is dried. To get the best coloring and flavor put it in a pan to toast, but be careful not burn it, and then pour hot water over it.
Ingredients in the order I use them:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
6 Squids, cut in squares, include legs
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2/3 Cup Homemade Tomato Sauce (look at the "Three Sauces" entry)
9 Cups Fish Broth with the saffron (9 to 12 stigmas). I use fish bouillon, every brand has a different ratio.
3 Cups "Bomba" or "Calasparra" Rice or a short grain rice
3 Small Artichokes Hearts, cut in fours
2/3 Cups Peas
1/2 Cup Red Roasted Peppers cut in julianne.
3 Littleneck Clams per person.
3 Mussels per person
3 Shrimp per person
1 Langoustine per person, if you can't find them it's fine.
In a paella pan or a shallow pan we put the oil and the cuttlefish or squid. When it changes color, add the sweet paprika, be careful not to burn it, otherwise it will give a bitter flavor. Add the tomato sauce, and stir it. Add the fish bouillon and the rice in the form of a cross, then spread evenly. Bring everything to a boil, turn the heat to low and add the artichokes, peas and roasted peppers.
As the rice absorbs the broth add first the clams as they start opening, then add the shrimp, the langoustines and finally the mussels. One thing to keep in mind is, when you add the seafood, you are adding great flavorful liquid so cover it with aluminum paper until done. If your rice is a little burnt at the bottom, don't worry, the people from Valencia say it is the best part and they call it "socarrat." Serve with lemon wedges.
Some people cook the seafood one at a time and then put them aside. Then they cook the rice with the vegetables and at the last minute they add the seafood out of their shells.
You can find Shrimp (gambas), prawns (langoustines) and langoustines (cigalas) tiny lobsters and www.latienda.com
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