My Favourite Paella | Seafood Recipes | Jamie Oliver Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most important spice in paella? ›

The most important spice for a traditional paella is saffron, which gives the ish its rich, golden color. However, because saffron is so expensive (more expensive by weight than gold, in fact), some paella cooks use turmeric or dyes instead.

Rice is the most important ingredient in traditional paella, and choosing the right type of rice is crucial to achieving the perfect texture and flavor of the dish. Short-grain rice is preferred because it has the ability to absorb the liquid and flavors of the dish while maintaining its structure and texture.

Bomba is the best rice for paella. It's not only authentic to the dish, but the results are almost always perfect. Calasparra rice is an excellent substitute if you can't get your hands on bomba rice. Arborio Rice can work if you can't get bomba or Calasparra.

In terms of the basic ingredients, paella is similar to a risotto. The main difference is paella doesn't require constant stirring. In fact, it's important not to stir it once the stock is added to ensure the delicious, light-golden crust, known as socarrat, forms on the base.

The broth, together with saffron and sofrito, a mix of olive oil, tomato, garlic, and paprika, are responsible for the paella's flavor. Lledo says that a cook should not overload the paella with ingredients, either meat or vegetables. He says limiting ingredients and letting each element of the dish shine is key.

What Can You Not Put in Paella? Real paella does not include many ingredients that go into other rice dishes. Some of these include onions, peas, mushrooms, carrots, and chorizo. While all good combinations with rice, these aren't part of the traditional paella recipes.

Water is actually the most-often-used liquid in “authentic” paella, but stock is in many cases better. Chicken stock is all-purpose, and a not-too-strong meat stock will work nicely, too. Fish stock is fine as long as you're including fish, and a quickly made shrimp-shell stock might be your best alternative.

Bound up in agricultural heritage, culinary expertise and cultural identity, it's generally agreed that Paella Valenciana is the original and the best.

Another good dishes to serve with paella are tomato bread, Spanish green salad, patatas bravas, green beans, fried rice, gazpacho, roasted red peppers, garlic shrimp, Spanish omelette, marinated olives, grilled artichokes, and sautéed spinach with garlic.

Should paella rice be dry or wet? ›

Paella is a dry rice, and onions are a “wet” vegetable that adds unnecessary moistness to the dish (not to mention flavor). You don't want rice grains that are “open”, over-cooked. When this happens, we say that the arroz “se ha pasado,” is passed, and you better toss it.

Socarrat refers to the crispy, savory crust that forms on the the bottom layer of rice when the paella is cooked properly.

That's because the vast majority of Valencians agree that onions do not go into a Valencian paella. Valencians say onions make the rice go soft.

Since Paella contains meats there is another concern beyond carbs and that is fat. While chicken is mostly regarded as lower in fat, you need to be careful about the types of seafood you put into it and also pork can be a bit high in fat content.

To start, choose an Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain for this dish. It's what guarantees the best flavor and aromas. And to finish, once you turn off the stove, cover the paella with a dish towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Saffron is the main spice to use, when making Paella. Saffron is the most expensive spice on Earth and is the red-yellow stigma of the crocus flower and must be hand-picked during short annual flowering seasons.

While saffron can be expensive, it is an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking and particularly in the iconic dish of paella. The unique flavor and aroma that saffron brings to the dish cannot be replicated with any other spice, making it an indispensable ingredient in Spanish cuisine.

Most agree that the essential ingredients for paella are rice, some form of protein (chicken, seafood, rabbit), legumes and/or vegetables, olive oil, and saffron (also brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors).

You also don't want to omit the saffron. It is used as a seasoning and coloring agent in paella and other foods.