Paella

seafood paella

Valencian paella in a traditional paellera

Paella (IPA: [pa'eʎa]) is an internationally known Spanish rice dish which originated in Spain's Valencian region (in Spain this region is called the Valencian Community) which includes the combined provinces of Valencia, Alicante and Castellón. Most Spaniards consider paella to be their country's national dish.

The word "paella" derives from the Latin word patella for pan. Patella is also akin to the French poêle, the Welsh padell, the Italian padella, the Old Spanish padilla and the New Mexican Spanish puela.

Valencians refer to both the recipe and the specialized shallow pan in which it is cooked as paella. However, outside of the Valencian region, paellera is the proper word for the pan. The paellera is traditionally round, shallow and made of polished steel with two handles.

The two most popular types of paella are Valencian and seafood. Valencian paella consists primarily of white rice, green vegetables, meat, beans and seasoning. Seafood paella replaces meat with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables. The varieties of rice used are usually Calasparra or Bomba. Other key ingredients include saffron, and olive oil.

This dish has become enormously popular throughout much of the Spanish-speaking world, including the Hispanicized regions of the United States.

History

The people of Islamic Spain often made casseroles of rice, fish and spices for family gatherings and religious feasts, thus establishing the custom of eating rice. This led to rice becoming a staple after the Catholics drove out the Muslims in the 15th century. Cooks combined rice with vegetables, beans and dry cod, providing an acceptable meal for Lent. Along the coast, fish always predominated with rice.

On special occasions, 18th century Valencians used paelleras to cook rice in the open air of their orchards with vegetables of the season along with chicken, rabbit, duck and snails. Later, social life became more active with the sociological changes of the 19th century, giving rise to reunions and outings to the countryside. This rice dish evolved into Valencian paella where it was customary for men to do the cooking. In 1840, a local newspaper first used the phrase "Valencian paella" to refer to the recipe rather than the pan.

The most widely used ingredient list of the 19th century version is as follows: short-grain white rice, lima beans, chicken, snails, duck (optional), judía verde (a wide, flat green bean common to Spain which is a subspecies of Phaseolus vulgaris), artichoke (only used in the winter when green beans were not available), tomatoes, fresh rosemary, salt, paprika, saffron, olive oil and water. It's these ingredients that Valencians insist go into making Valencian paella.

The 20th century saw the popularity of paella spread beyond Spain's Valencian region. Spaniards living near the coast began adding seafood to the traditional recipe and called it mixed paella. Mixed paella then became popular outside of Spain. As other cultures set out to make paella, it invariably picked up regional influences. Consequently, paella went from being a relatively simple dish of rice, beans, meat and green vegetables to including seafood, various types of sausage (the most popular being Spanish chorizo), a wide range of vegetables and many different seasonings. However, the most globally popular non-Valencian recipe is seafood paella.

In Spain, mixed paella is still very popular. Some restaurants that serve this mixed version refer to it as Valencian paella but Valencians often complain that only the original Valencian recipe can bear the name paella valenciana.

Basic cooking method

For recipes, see Wikibooks:Cookbook:Paella.

Seafood paella and mixed paella

Since this is a derivative of Valencian paella, cooking methods vary greatly. The following is common to most seafood and mixed paella recipes. Seasoning varies widely depending on chefs and regions. However, salt, saffron and garlic are almost always included.

• Heat the oil.
• Brown the meat.
• Make the sofrito by adding and then stir frying diced bell peppers, garlic, onions and tomatoes.
• Add seasoning.
• Add rice and briefly stir fry.
• Add broth.
• Simmer for 30 minutes or bake for 15 minutes.
• Garnish with additional cooked seafood and or vegetables.

Valencian paella

This recipe is much more standardized since it is considered traditional among Valencians. Rice in Valencian paella is never stir-fried in oil, as pilau, though the paella made further southwest of Valencia often is.

• Heat the oil.
• Brown the meat.
• Add and then stir fry beans and green vegetables.
• Add the tomatoes and then the seasoning.
• Add water and boil for 30 minutes.
• Add the rice and saffon.
• Cook for another seven to ten minutes.
• Garnish with fresh rosemary.

For both recipes

Once the rice is nearly done, the paella is removed from the heat and left to absorb the remaining water. Paella usually has a crispy, caramelized, toasted bottom (socarrat in Valencian) that is considered a delicacy. There are two ways to achieve a socarrat: The first is to time the evaporation of the water properly with the completion of the rice; the second is to use a high flame while listening to the rice toast at the bottom of the pan. The chef then removes the paellera from the heat once the aroma of toasted rice wafts upwards. The paella then must sit for about five minutes before serving.

Related traditions

Catalonian Day]] in the village square of Cornudella de Montsant, Spain.

It has become a custom for mass gatherings in the Valencian region (festivals, political campaigns, protests, etc.) to prepare an enormous paella, sometimes to win a mention in the Guinness Book of Records. Gargantuan pans are commissioned for these cases.

Records

The largest paella measured 20m (65ft 7in) in diameter and was made by Juan Carlos Galbis and a team of helpers in Valencia, Spain on 8 March 1992. It was eaten by 100,000 people. Paella and its variations are typical picnic dishes for the Spanish spring and summer. The dish is also typically consumed during the Falles in Valencia.

Contests

In the world of competitive cooking, paella pans are seldom used, save in Spain in the giant "Paella King" contest. This is an annual competition held in a different town in Galicia, Spain every year. Whoever makes the best paella is the "Paella King" for the year until the next competition.

Related dishes

• Arroz a la valenciana
• Arròs negre
• Fideuà
• Fried rice
• Jambalaya
• Plov
• Risotto

See also

• Spanish cuisine
• Mediterranean cuisine
• Philippine cuisine

References

External Links

• Guiness World Records