Paella is the most famous Spanish dish and it’s the hottest cuisine of the moment. People really enjoy cooking up this traditional Spanish food for their family or guests at a party in their own homes.
We are often asked what an authentic Paella is by people who are worried about ‘getting it right’. I always ask British people the same question and the “penique” usually drops.
What’s an authentic Shepherd’s Pie? Is it lamb or beef mince, do you use onions or shallots, does it have carrots, garlic maybe? Is there cheese on top, are the potatoes mashed or sliced? Do you add wine? When does it become a cottage pie? Most of us have eaten Shepherd’s Pie in lots of different places, all probably slightly different. We always believe that ours is the correct recipe - it’s common place for us, we can make it from scratch and our mum’s version is always best!
It’s exactly the same with Paella. If you eat Paella in twenty different places, you will probably have twenty different Paellas. The common elements will be Spanish olive oil, Spanish paella rice and Spanish saffron, other than that there can be a wide variety of ingredients. The only thing that you have to ensure is that you use the correct paella rice because it is, after all, a flavoured rice dish – the rice should absorb all the flavours from the other ingredients and only calasparra rice will do this. Arborio rice looks similar but won’t behave in the same way in your paella pan.
Some common bones of contention are:
- Should the tomatoes be cooked down into a sofrito or not used at all?
- Spanish Saffron only or Paella colorante?
- Should you use Onions and/or garlic or neither of them?
- Rice in first and then add the stock or “al reverse”?
- Brown the meat in the same pan (or is this a Spanish recipe for disaster?)
- Never mix fish and fowl?(I’ve had plenty of tasty ones with both!)
- Cook in a Paella pan or in a large Cazuela (Tapas dish), well that depends if your pueblo is in an area that has an abundance potters or steelworkers
What’s the answer? Who knows! You’ll never find out who is right. I have my own preferences, some are endorsed by Valencian friends, others Spanish friends are horrified that I have been so misguided in my education in Spanish cuisine. It’s clear to me that it’s a very subjective subject.
The only other thing that you need to make certain of is that you enjoy cooking your Paella as much as eating it! If someone else somewhere else doesn’t agree that it is authentic Spanish food, who cares! Have fun.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to drop us a line here: info@saborear.co.uk
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