Today we will take you through the most important ingredients and techniques you need to know to achieve a good Spanish paella.
How can I make Paella at home?
This is the number one question our clients ask about at our events. First of all, you have to be passionate about cooking and also follow some basic rules, key steps and also use the right ingredients.
What is the best rice for Paella?
Spanish Paella rice is rounded and short and it absorbs liquid very well. Use always Spanish rice from Valencia. When Paella is cooked well, rice is the only thing that really matters, the rest of the ingredients do have a role to play in the pan, and that is to provide flavour to the rice.
Know more about Paella rice from Valencia denomination of origin
I don’t know how to make my own stock
You can make your own chicken stock but this is not essential. Many chefs in Valencia use only water but can use a commercial one from the supermarket.
In the case you want to make your life easier, we recommend you use a commercial organic chicken stock.
What oil is the best?
Spain is the largest producer of olive oil to date. It is mainly concentrated around the Andalusian region. This heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat is a surprisingly stable oil as long as the oil isn’t heated past its smoking point, which for extra-virgin olive oil is pretty high. This makes our liquid gold, one of the key ingredients for perfect paella. Use always Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain.
Get this 4L extra virgin olive oil which is also a wonderful decorative element for your kitchen
What is this Sofrito everyone talks about?
Sofrito is used in Paella and many dishes in Spanish cuisine. In paella, sofrito is a very simple way to provide a base flavour and is made with fresh tomato, olive oil, salt. Sofrito often has garlic and onions but you don’t really need these flavours for a traditional paella.
Grandma’s most valuable trick for paella
You want the rice to be rich in flavour but, how can I reach that characteristic flavour from the meat? Very simple, just cook the chicken on the bone until nice and golden. Meat on the bone adds much more flavour and you want to cook it until you reach that point where the meat caramelises and start to stick to the pan. Don’t worry about the meat sticking to the pan! Once you add the stock, it will deglaze the pan and the rice will absorb this rich flavour you are looking for.
Our Public Secret
Double smoked paprika adds a smoky and rustic flavour to Paella. Add a pinch of it to the sofrito but make sure it doesn’t burn otherwise, it will give a bitter taste.
For better results use Pimentón de la Vera ‘Los Extremeños’ brand.
And last but not least… Socarrat!
“Socarrat” is a golden caramelised crust that appears on the bottom layer of a perfect paella. This is something you will achieve after a few tries so don’t stress too much about it, this does take a little practice.
Remember!
If you prefer to learn from the best Spanish chef, contact us!
