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!

Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf

Today is the Day After Yoga Flash Mob, and I'm really feeling the after effects of the 90-minute class under the hot midday sun.  In a good way, of course! Still, it was nice to take things easy today and have one of those do nothing Sundays where you can read magazines at your leisure. Today's read was the latest issue of Cuisine Magazine, full of light, fresh salads and marinated meats that you can just slap on the barbecue. I certainly took my time looking at the photos while putting together this week's meal plan.

The first dish that I'm sharing today is a vegetarian rice pilaf, full of aromatic flavors from the Middle East. You can make a really simple version and add almonds and pine nuts to make it more festive.

There are many recipes for rice pilaf on the web, and some are really entertaining to read. The possible combinations of aromatics, herbs and dried fruit and nut are endless. I usually make a cumin+cardamom+cinnamon+coriander pilaf to go with curries, but today I decided to create this Middle Eastern-inspired version to complement a roast lamb dish.

For me, the most important thing is the quality of the rice you use. I always use the best quality basmati rice I could get hold of, washing it several times until the water runs clear to get the starches out. Just make sure that the water is drained out before cooking. That's the secret to light, fluffy rice pilaf.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
400 g basmati rice (2 cups)
1/2 cup currants, sultanas, or dried almonds. Or any combination of these three.
750 ml water or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
a handful of curly leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup  toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts (optional)

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and stir-fry until soft and caramelised, but not browned.
2. Add turmeric and cumin and continue stir-frying until fragrant. This should take around 30 seconds. Make sure you carefully watch the spices so they don't get burned!
3. Stir in the basmati rice, making sure that the grains are coated with the oil and spices. 
4. Add water, dried fruits, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to make sure that all of the rice is covered by the water. Cover the pot tightly and bring to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, around 18 minutes. 
6. Turn of the heat and let the rice sit with the lid on for another 10 minutes.
7. Remove the bay leaf, fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in parsley, and the toasted almonds or pine nuts, if using.

Chicken Cacciatore

I have seen so many versions of this chicken dish, some with a long list of ingredients that I don't even bother reading the recipe. "Cacciatore" means "hunter" and I don't think the hunter's wife would have all of these at hand. And even if she has, she wouldn't waste precious time preparing them when the family's hungry. For me, the beauty of this dish lies in its rustic simplicity.

I always use a whole chicken to make this dish, but if you don't like having to cut it up, you can use pre-cut chicken pieces that roughly add up to around 2 kg. Please remember that the amount of herbs and seasonings is just a guideline...you can reduce or increase the amount to taste. Dried herbs will work just fine, too.

Ingredients
1/2 cup flour
1 whole free range chicken, jointed
3 tablespoons Spanish or Italian olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
400 g can chopped Italian tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
4 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup black or green olives
1/4 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
Himalayan or sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and sprinkle lightly with flour.
2. Heat a large pan (I use a heavy saute pan) over medium to high heat. Add the olive oil.
3. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken pieces until just brown and transfer to a plate. Do not overcrowd the pan so you may need to do this in batches. 
4. Lower heat to medium and saute the garlic until golden brown. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!!! Add the onion and stir fry until soft and caramelized.
5. Add the wine and simmer until it's reduced by around half. Add the tomatoes, water or broth, balsamic vinegar, parsley, bay leaves, oregano, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer.
6. Put the chicken back into the pan and coat with the sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Check the chicken halfway through and add more water if it gets too dry.
7. Add the olives, adjust the seasoning and simmer for around 10 more minutes or until chicken is just cooked through.
8. Transfer the chicken into a serving platter and spoon the sauce over it. Sprinkle with chopped basil leaves just before serving.

You can serve this with a salad, and/or a crusty bread, rice, couscous, cannellini beans, or soft polenta...and, of course, a few glasses of Sangiovese or Chianti.