The first thing to make clear is that a “Paella” is not something you can eat, it is actually the name of the large frying pan type object that you make it in, hence a “paella de pollo” (chicken) or “Higado y Coliflor” (Liver and Cauliflower) etc. The place you cook it on is called a “Paellero” which to most people is simple a Barbecue although you can buy a gas Paellero from most hardware shops, (more on that later.

The first step in making a good traditional paella is in controlling the fire (preferred method). The fire should ideally be made with thin orange wood (almost twigs) which makes it very controllable and should be hot enough to make oil in the pan become smoking hot. The traditional method is to simply make a fire on the ground and set a stand or flat tripod about 20 to 25 Cm above the fire( bricks will do but they MUST be perfectly level), you can level up everything when you add the oil to the paella as it should run to the centre from all directions.

Ok, Down to business. We will base this recipe on a 4 person pan which is approx 42 Cm in diameter.

 

1. Method (45-60 mins not including the stock)
2. Use the chicken carcass and necks to make good stock (about a litre will do, more or less makes little difference)
3. When your fire is right add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan (remember to check that it’s perfectly level)
4. Now add your chicken chunks and spare ribs and fry until nicely browned
5. Add your vegetables “tomato, greens peppers etc Alcachofa (Artichoke) is very nice but tends to turn the colour rather black
6. Move the mixture around a little and the make a heap of it in the middle of the pan and add the colorante or saffron on top
7. Now mix it all up well and spread it evenly over the pan
8. Add your stock
9. Now add water until it is almost touching the rim of the pan (this is when you will know if you got it level or not)
10. Allow the mixture to boil evenly until the liquid has reduced to exactly half way down the rivets of the handles of the pan (pans are made to exactly the same measurements)
11. Add salt or seasoning to taste
12. Add the rice and spread it evenly over the pan (Very important)
13. Arrange the ingredients evenly around the pan as you shouldn’t be touching it from here on
14. Important, control the fire, just an even heat with no or very little flame and allow the rice to cook through
15. When the rice is done on top you can now increase the flame and slightly burn the underneath,
16. This is called “socorat” and is considered the best part of the dish
17. Take it from the flame and allow to cool for 5 or 10 mins

(If the rice hasn’t cooked completely then cover it with newspaper and add a little water on top, this allows the top rice to cook through without adding more liquid to the already cooked rice underneath)

The reason we recommend an open fire is that, because of the shape of the “Paella”, it creates a vortex above the pan and draws the smoke of the fire down to the surface of the ingredients giving them a really different flavour to a gas made paella (Try it and you’ll see).

The basic trick is to have a well made fire and to have plenty of small wood at hand to be able to control the heat. Cane is very good for the socorat.

Paella was originally the Valencian poor mans meal and was made from any ingredient in season. In the coastal regions it would be seafood, in the mountains it would be rabbit but always with the basic ingredient of rice which is one of Valencia’s staple crops.

Try it with anything, Chicken and rabbit, liver and cauliflower, Mixta (chicken with cubes of squid or cuttlefish with king prawns or mussels laid on the rice for the last 10 mins of cooking,

Vegetarian with whatever you like, Try them all.

Enjoy, Angus Wallace