Here are some easy ways to make paella

Here are some easy ways to make paella

Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in the mid-19th century near lake Albufera, a lagoon in Valencia, on the eastern coast of Spain. Paella is a Catalan word, which derives from the Old French word, paelle for pan, which in turn comes from the Latin word, patella, which also means pan. The dish made with a special paella pan, has remained unchanged over the years and easy paella recipes abound. There are three basic types of paella: Valencian (valenciana), seafood (paella de marisco) and mixed paella (paella mixta), but there are also many variations within these three categories.

Valencian paella usually consists of white rice, green vegetables, meat, snails, beans and seasoning, while seafood paella replaces meat and snails with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables. Mixed paella is a free-style combination of meat, seafood, vegetables and sometimes beans.

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Paella become internationally popular during the twentieth century and as other cultures incorporated easy paella recipes, the dish acquired regional differences. Gourmet paella ingredients were added, including a wide variety of seafood, meat, chorizo sausage and many different seasonings. Globally speaking, the most popular is seafood paella.

One very popular but inaccurate belief about easy paella recipes concerns the myth that the word paella derives from the Arabic word for leftovers, baqiyah. This belief derives from the fact that it was customary among Arab sailors to combine leftovers of previous meals, which supposedly led to a paella-like creation in Moorish Spain.

 What are some easy paella recipes?

1-Valencian paella

This is a very traditional recipe because paella is so very much a part of Valencian culture. The rice used here is never braised in oil. It is made as follows: (You will note that after the addition of each ingredient, a gentle saut? is required). Heat the oil in a paella pan and saut? selected meat after seasoning with salt. Add green vegetables and do the same. Add garlic, grated tomatoes and beans and saut? again. Add paprika and saut?. Slowly add water, saffron, snails and a touch of rosemary. Boil to make a broth and then reduce by half. The final touch is to add rice and simmer until it is cooked. If desired, garnish with fresh rosemary.

2- Seafood paella

Recipes for this dish vary somewhat, even in Valencia. This recipe comes from Juanry Segui, a prominent Valencian chef.

 Make a seafood broth from shrimp heads, onions, garlic and bay leaves. Heat oil in a paella pan and add mussels, cooking them until they open and then removing them. Saut? Norway lobster and whole, deep-water rose shrimp and then remove them from the broth. Add chopped cuttlefish saut? and then shrimp tails and saut?. Add garlic and do the same, followed by grated tomato. Then add the rice and braise in sofrito mixture. Add paprika and (you guessed it) saut? some more. Add seafood broth and saffron and then salt to taste. Replace lobster, shrimp and mussels to the broth and simmer until rice is cooked.

All easy paella recipes should be enjoyed with one of the many fine wines from Spain.

So make some easy paella recipes in your own home or better yet, invent some new ones of your own.

Spain and the world of easy paella recipes await!

 

 

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