The Valencian Paella Recipe
The "authentic" Valencian Paella Recipe
In Valencia, the cradle of paella, you’ll find many different versions of this tasty dish, which according to many is one the most complicated of the nation’s culinary delights. For many locals, the best paella they’ve ever eaten has been cooked by their mother, father or grandmother, generally a variation on the authentic Valencian recipe. If you don’t have someone to cook a good paella for you and you’d like to give it a try, here we have included the most popular recipe, used in restaurants serving traditional rice dishes across the city. Get your apron on and let's get started!
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 chicken cut into pieces.
- 1 rabbit cut into pieces.
- 300 grams of fresh Ferradura (green beans).
- 1 medium tomato.
- 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika.
- Saffron.
- 6 cups of water.
- 200 grams of Garrafon (lima) beans.
- Salt to taste.
- 3 cups of rice.
- A bunch of rosemary.
It’s common to add snails, artichokes and even duck to paella in València. It is sometimes served with lemon wedges and there are also those who add a touch of garlic to the sauté, although opinions on this are somewhat divided. It all depends on individual tastes.
Once the paella is ready, there are some age-old Valencian traditions worth bearing in mind, such as eating the rice with a wooden spoon or directly from the paella pan itself. But this all depends on the context.
Preparation in 12 simple steps:
- Preparation in 12 simple steps:
- Heat the oil over a low flame in the paella pan (wide and shallow receptacle).
- Next, sauté the chicken and rabbit for around 5 minutes.
- Then add the freshly chopped vegetables, beans, artichokes and grated tomato to the pan. Fry for several minutes until a smooth sauté begins to form.
- Add the paprika and fry over a low flame for one minute after adding the water.
- Next, add the saffron, garrofon beans and salt to taste.
- Turn up the heat and leave to boil for approximately 15 minutes.
- Add the snails, should you be including them in the recipe.
- Then spread the rice evenly across the pan.
- Leave to boil for a further 15 minutes and then test the stock. Add salt if necessary.
- During the last 7-8 minutes add the rosemary. Leave it to cook for around 5 minutes before removing it from the pan.
- The paella is cooked when the liquid has evaporated but the mixture is not completely dry.
- In order to achieve the famous socarrat, the crispy caramelised bottom, leave it to cook a little longer over a low flame.
