Paella Valenciana

Name: Paella Valenciana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 600 g chicken, bone-in thighs and drumsticks (cut into medium pieces through the bone); 400 g rabbit (cut into medium pieces, liver discarded); 300 g flat green beans (ferraura) (trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces); 200 g garrofó beans (large white lima beans) (fresh or frozen); 150 g ripe tomatoes (grated, skins discarded); 1 tsp sweet smoked-free Spanish paprika (pimentón dulce); 1 pinch saffron threads (about 0.3 g, lightly crushed); 120 ml extra virgin olive oil; 2 l water; 500 g short-grain bomba or senia rice; 1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional); salt (to taste)

Serves 6 · 100 min · Spanish

Ingredients

600 g chicken, bone-in thighs and drumsticks
400 g rabbit
300 g flat green beans (ferraura)
200 g garrofó beans (large white lima beans)
150 g ripe tomatoes
1 tsp sweet smoked-free Spanish paprika (pimentón dulce)
1 pinch saffron threads
120 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 L water
500 g short-grain bomba or senia rice
1 sprig fresh rosemary
to taste salt

Method

01
Level the pan Set a paella pan about fifty to fifty five centimetres wide over the burner and check that it sits level, so the rice will cook in an even layer.
02
Heat the oil Pour the olive oil into the centre of the pan and heat it over medium high heat for about two minutes until it shimmers.
03
Brown the meat Season the chicken and rabbit with salt, spread them out in the hot oil, and fry slowly, turning now and then, until golden brown on all sides.
04
Fry the beans Push the meat to the edges of the pan, add the flat green beans and the garrofó beans to the centre, and fry them, stirring, for about five minutes.
05
Cook the tomato Add the grated tomato to the centre of the pan and fry it, stirring, until it darkens and thickens, about three minutes.
06
Add the paprika Sprinkle the paprika over the tomato and stir for just ten seconds, then go straight to the next step.
07
Make the broth Pour in the water, add the saffron, stir everything together, and let it simmer over medium heat for about thirty minutes to make a rich broth.
08
Add the rice Scatter the rice evenly across the whole pan, give it one gentle shake to spread it, and boil it over high heat for ten minutes without stirring.
09
Finish on low heat Lower the heat to medium low, lay the rosemary sprig on top if using, and cook for about eight minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender.
10
Make the socarrat Turn the heat up to high for about ninety seconds to toast the bottom layer of rice into a crisp crust.
11
Rest the paella Take the pan off the heat, remove the rosemary, cover the paella with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest for five minutes before serving straight from the pan.

Method

Level the pan

Set a paella pan about fifty to fifty five centimetres wide over the burner and check that it sits level, so the rice will cook in an even layer.

If your burner is smaller than the pan, rotate the pan a quarter turn every few minutes during cooking so the edges cook evenly.

Heat the oil

Pour the olive oil into the centre of the pan and heat it over medium high heat for about two minutes until it shimmers.

Heat the oil · 2 min

Brown the meat

Season the chicken and rabbit with salt, spread them out in the hot oil, and fry slowly, turning now and then, until golden brown on all sides.

Take your time here. The deep browning on the meat is where most of the flavour of the paella comes from.

Brown the meat · 20 min

Fry the beans

Push the meat to the edges of the pan, add the flat green beans and the garrofó beans to the centre, and fry them, stirring, for about five minutes.

If you can only find dried garrofó, soak them overnight and add them now as well. Lima or butter beans are the closest substitute.

Fry the beans · 5 min

Cook the tomato

Add the grated tomato to the centre of the pan and fry it, stirring, until it darkens and thickens, about three minutes.

Cook the tomato · 3 min

Add the paprika

Sprinkle the paprika over the tomato and stir for just ten seconds, then go straight to the next step.

Paprika burns in seconds and turns bitter, so have the water ready before you add it.

Add the paprika · 00:10

Make the broth

Pour in the water, add the saffron, stir everything together, and let it simmer over medium heat for about thirty minutes to make a rich broth.

Taste the broth near the end. It should taste a little too salty, because the rice will absorb the salt.

Make the broth · 30 min

Add the rice

Scatter the rice evenly across the whole pan, give it one gentle shake to spread it, and boil it over high heat for ten minutes without stirring.

Never stir the rice once it is in. Stirring releases starch and makes it creamy instead of dry and separate.

Add the rice · 10 min

Finish on low heat

Lower the heat to medium low, lay the rosemary sprig on top if using, and cook for about eight minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender.

Finish on low heat · 8 min

Make the socarrat

Turn the heat up to high for about ninety seconds to toast the bottom layer of rice into a crisp crust.

Listen closely. When the crackling sound changes and you smell toasting rice, take it off the heat straight away.

Make the socarrat · 2 min

Rest the paella

Take the pan off the heat, remove the rosemary, cover the paella with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest for five minutes before serving straight from the pan.

Rest the paella · 5 min

Paella Valenciana

Ingredients

Method

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