PAELLA Recipe Shared By Harminder Magon

  PAELLA

Recipe Shared By Harminder Magon

MY ULTIMATE PAELLA
Paella pronounced "paa-e-ya" – A Rice delicacy from Spain
Every country has a dish that bonds its people or sometimes divides them. In Spain, particularly in the Valencia region such a dish is Paella, which has become popular and famous all over the world.
There are numerous paella recipes and the combinations of foods that can make up paella are endless and with its international popularity, it almost impossible to define exactly what it may contain. There may be as many variations of paella as there would be cooks and interestingly, every cook claims that their recipe is the best and most authentic. 

Originally, Paella was farm laborers' food, cooked by the workers over a wood fire for their lunchtime meals. The preparation included rice, and whatever was available in the fields and countryside. The ingredients could be tomatoes, onions and snails, and beans. Sometimes duck, rabbit or chicken was added for special occasions plus a touch of saffron for an extra color and flavor. It is no surprise that various types of seafood crept into the recipes over the generations in the Valencia region of Spain, being on the coast. Interestingly, it should be noted that Paella is the generic name of over 200 rice dishes across Spain.
Traditionally many women still do the cooking in Spain, but making paella is usually left to the men, much like the BBQ’s events across the globe.

This delicacy was traditionally eaten directly from the same pan in which it was cooked and each person using their personal wooden spoon. One should note that to this day a "true" Paella Valenciana has no seafood but a mixture of chicken, rabbit and snails with green and white beans.

Over the years I have learned how to make paella by simply following my intuition and Paellas that I have eaten in a few countries including Spain. 

However, the foodie in me always looks for authentic sources which led me to the following five basic principles extremely important to cooking a good Paella and these are: the rice, the pan, the distribution of heat, the Sofrito, and the liquid.
• Spanish rice is rounded and short, it absorbs liquid well, and it stays relatively firm during cooking. The most used variety of Spanish rice is Bomba, Arborio is an acceptable substitute and long-grain varieties are not.
• A genuine paella pan is round and wide, shallow and has splayed sides and is made of blue steel. It has two looped handles and may dip slightly in the middle so the oil can pool there for the preliminary sautéing. The shape of the pan, which is called either a Paella or Paellera, helps to ensure that the rice cooks evenly in a thin layer. If you do not have a Paella pan, you may use a skillet but not a cast iron pan. One tip to remember that Paella pans do not come with lids, as this delicacy must be prepared uncovered.
• Sofrito is a basic sauce, prepared with tomatoes, garlic, oil, salt, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and onions. This usually forms the base of many traditional Spanish dishes. It is very similar to the Indian Curry sauce.
This sauce refrigerates well for a week and can be frozen up to
6 months.
• Using a good heating source and Paella pan helps even distribution of the heat during the cooking process.
• For cooking the rice in Paella, the liquid used other than water can be fish, chicken or vegetable stock. Also ensure to use a good quality of Spanish Saffron.
A little bit of background and history of Paella helps one understand and appreciate the origin of this gem from Spain. The following is my recipe, which I am sharing with you all and am sure you would enjoy.
Ingredients:
4 tbs. Virgin olive oil
250 gm. chorizo sausages, thickly sliced
250 gm. Chicken breast, skinned and boneless cut up small
250 gm. Cleaned squid finely sliced rings
1 onion diced fine
6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ tsp. thyme or oregano
1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 cup of fine pureed tomatoes
1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves picked, washed and chopped. Stalks finely chopped
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. Spanish smoked Paprika
1 pinch Spanish saffron
200 gm. Fresh clams scrubbed clean and de-bearded
200 gm. Fresh mussels scrubbed clean and de-bearded
350 gm. paella rice
1 lt. chicken stock
12 large shrimps with or without tails on
12 medium fresh scallops
1 fresh lemon cut up in 8 wedges
2 sprigs of green onion finely sliced
Method:
In a large Paella pan over medium heat add the olive oil and the sliced chorizo and the chicken breast. Stir-fry the mixture for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and as soon as the sausage begins to release fat and change color add the chopped peppers, garlic, onion and parsley stalks along with a good pinch of salt and pepper, oregano or thyme, paprika and the saffron. Gently add the pureed tomatoes, mix well and cook for another 8 minutes.
Next add the rice to the mixture and stir well to ensure that the rice is coated in the succulent sauce. Gently add the chicken stock and stir well. Check for the seasoning and make any necessary adjustments. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down to a medium to low heat and add the scallops and stir constantly for about 15 minutes. To make sure that every grain of rice gets the same amount of tender loving care, occasionally stir from the outside of the pan into the middle so you get a pile of rice in the middle of the pan and make sure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Next flatten the pile out with your spoon and start the whole process over again.

After 15 minutes the rice should be almost cooked, now add the sliced squid, mussels, clams and the shrimps. You may want to add an extra splash of stock, if the rice looks a bit dry. Gently keep stirring, and as the clams and mussels start to open and the prawns begin to turn pink. Discard any clams or mussels that don't open. Stir in the chopped parsley and garnish with finely sliced green onions and lemon wedges. The Paella is ready to be served and bring the pan on to the table and let the feast begin. You may wish to serve a crispy salad with a light dessing.