The Secrets to a Great Paella

There are many, many divided opinions on what makes a Spanish paella "authentic"...just do a search on the Web. Some say it's the type of rice, using a proper paella pan, the heat source, chicken AND rabbit....and most of all, no stirring!!! So I'd rather not get into that discussion.

Good thing the Spanish forebears must've passed on the Paella-cooking gene along with Paella-loving gene because it's one of those dishes I somehow know how to cook without actually being shown how.

Chicken and Chorizo paella made from our go-to paella recipe
using yellow instead of red capsicum.

Over the years, I've compiled a few absolutely essential must-haves and must-dos if you want to get the best tasting, tender paella with a well-formed socarrat lining the bottom of the pan. Thought it's about time I share these little secrets and hopefully inspire you to start making this nutritious, flavourful dish at home that's a real crowd-pleaser.

Always start with the best quality paella rice. I'm sorry, I know that they're hard to find, and quite frankly expensive, but rice is the star of the show here. No compromises! I use this particular brand of rice, Arroz Calasparra grown by the Cooperativa del Campo Virgen de La Esperanza in Spain. Calasparra is, of course, a region in Spain but they have used this as the branding for a cross-breed (Balilla x Sollana) short-grain rice. Bomba is another variety you can use for making paella.

Browning the meat(s) in batches. Stir-fry the meats in batches to seal in the juices, keep them from disintegrating, and add flavour to the sofrito. Transfer the meat to a plate when browned and set aside to be added again later.

I use artisan chorizo made by L'Authentique,
cutting it into 2 cm chunks.

Speaking of sofrito....this requires a lot of patience. I use only fresh vine tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped. No skimping on the olive oil - oh, and use the best quality extra-virgin, cold-pressed Spanish olive oil you can find. On medium-low heat, add the onions first and stir-fry until they start to caramelize before adding garlic and turmeric (if using instead of saffron). After around a couple of minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and stir-fry until the mixture thickens and the solids separate from the oil. It's so hard to describe, but do watch the mixture closely and add more oil if required. There should be enough oil to coat the rice.


Day old, homemade chicken broth that's re-heated and kept hot. Here's a basic one from Taste of Home that you can build up to your own taste. I add a handful of oregano to this recipe for added flavour and nutrients. Or fish stock if you're making seafood paella.

Finally, keep it simple!!! Do not go overboard with the ingredients because, as I've said earlier, rice is the star of the show.

Now let's get cookin'! Here's a few of my favourite recipes to get you started:

1. Chicken and Chorizo Paella from BBC Good Food - our go-to paella recipe because it's the simplest and a real crowd pleaser.
2. My favourite Seafood Paella recipe is from La Tienda.
3. Bon Appetit's Seafood Paella. Now this is a modern take on a paella, and more of a paella-risotto fusion, but who am I to quibble when it looks absolutely fantastic? Definitely one to impress your guests and worth all the effort. 
4. If you want a true, authentic paella, then try this recipe from Alicante, Spain's travel web site. Getting hold of some rabbit meat might just be little challenging so good luck!

The best part is placing the paella pan in the middle of the table with a Spanish wine, and get the crowd to help themselves - using wooden spoons, of course!

A Quick Guide to Fats

The cold weather usually brings a massive craving for comfort food, preferably with lots of fats like stews, deep fried goodies, and luscious puddings. I'm eating some of the new Whittaker's spiced dark chocolate as I write. Absolutely delicious and oh-so-comforting!

So I thought it's about time I write something to debunk the myths about this much-maligned nutrient.

Our body needs fats to be healthy. Fats provides insulation for our bodies. It protects our internal organs, keeps our hair and skin healthy, and helps our bodies absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  

Our cell membranes are made up of fats and proteins, and it is the fats that allow the selective transport of substances in and out of the cell. Fats are also essential components of hormones and hormone-like substances such as protaglandins that regulate many body functions. 

Fats are actually a more efficient energy source per gram compared to carbohydrates and proteins. We burn carbohydrates within the first 20 minutes when we're exercising, and after that we rely on fats to continue fueling our bodies.

So how do we ensure that our bodies get the fats it needs to be healthy? While at the same time preventing cholesterol build-up and obesity? 

(1) Whole foods and free range meats. Whole foods contain the right balance of nutrients to help you digest and absorb only the nutrients that you need. Free range chicken is a good example. Chicken skin is actually mainly made up of monounsaturated fats in the form of oleic acid. Oleic acid, also found in olive oil, is known for beneficial effects on cholesterol. While chicken skin does contain unsaturated fats but you do need some of that, too.

Whole foods are naturally low in fats, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. They also contain plenty of soluble fiber that can help lower LDL (“bad”) blood cholesterol by interfering with the absorption of dietary cholesterol.

It's not just what you eat but how you prepare and cook your food that makes a huge difference on how much nutrients are left when you consume it. For example, olive oil breaks down at high temperatures so I would only use it in salad dressings and low temperature cooking. Coating chicken with flour before frying also increases the amount of fat that it retains when cooked. 

(2) The optimum amount of different fats that your body needs. We all know that there are different types of fats: fatty acids, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and trans-fatty acids. This article rates them from best to worst and provides a traffic light guide on what and how much to eat. I find this type of guide very useful as it is not overly prescriptive. 

As a guide, healthy adults should consume a maximum of 30% of calories from fats, with around 10% from "Yellow Light fats". 

**Remember that what "optimum" means depends on many factors, such as how much physical activity you do, if you're recovering from an illness, or the season of the year. If you need help figuring this out, drop me a note :)