Paella Valencia

Description

I have adjusted the recipe to include readily available ingredients and to an indoor method, while maintaining the simplicity of this traditional recipe. This is much easier to prepare than the paella we think of in North America with the more complicated medley of ingredients such as seafood, chicken, and sausage. This is a delicious alternative, but if you would rather take the extra time please see our recipe Paella…with Sausage, Chicken and Seafood!

A couple of tips:
1. Bomba rice can be difficult to find but well worth it! For paella to be authentic it must have a socarrat, which is a thin layer of rice at the bottom of the pan that becomes brown and crusty. The Bomba absorbs more liquid than other short grained rice, such as Arborio. With Bomba rice it seems to be easier to achieve this crust without burning it.

2. Pan sizes can vary depending on the group you are serving. To cook the paella properly you need even heat on the complete bottom surface. If necessary use two burners or a grill to achieve this – or an outdoor paella gas burner.

Serves 6

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients

GROUP A
4 Cups	Chicken broth, canned or homemade
1 Cup	Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp	Spanish Spice Blend
To taste	Salt, preferably fleur de sel
To taste	Pepper, freshly ground
GROUP B
4	Chicken thighs, skin removed
4	Chicken drumsticks, skin removed
2 Tbsp	Spanish Spice Blend
4 Tbsp	Roasted Garlic Olive Oil
GROUP C
1 Cup	Cooking onion, diced
1 Cup	Red bell pepper, diced
1 Cup	Green beans, ends removed and cut in half cross wise
1 Cup	Peas, fresh, out of their pods
1/2 Cup	Artichoke hearts, frozen or canned, drained
1 1/2 Cups	Bomba or arborio short grain rice
To taste	Salt, preferably fleur de sel
To taste	Pepper, freshly ground

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to : 400F for gas oven, 450F for electric oven

1. Place the ingredients in Group A into a large saucepan. Cover and place on a burner, on high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, leave covered until ready to use.

2. Dredge the chicken pieces through the Spanish Spice Blend.

3. Heat the Roasted Garlic Olive Oil in a paella pan measuring 30-34cm, or in a swallow casserole of a similar size. Sauté the chicken over high heat until it is brown (it should not be fully cooked) about 5 minutes, turning once at the half way point. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the onion and red peppers and cook until slightly softened, keeping the heat high. Stir in the green beans and artichoke hearts and cook on high for about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice and coat well with the rest of the pan mixture. Pour in the hot broth and bring to a boil. Taste for salt, pepper and Spanish Spice Blend – adjust the flavour to your liking. Place the chicken back in the pan. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until it is no longer soupy but there is enough liquid to continue cooking the rice.

4. Arrange the peas over the rice and transfer the pan to the oven. Cook, uncovered until the rice is almost al dente, 10-12 minutes in a gas oven and 15-20 minutes in an electric oven.

5. Remove the paella from the oven. Cover and let sit in a warm spot for 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Return the paella to the stove over high heat and cook, without stirring, until a crust of rice forms at the bottom of the pan – be careful not to burn the rice.

6. Serving: Serve immediately, place the paella pan on a protective board, and serve at the table right from the pan.