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How to Prepare the Perfect Paella
According to The American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, paella
is a saffron-flavored dish made with varying combinations
of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken and seafood. The
Dictionary also explains that in the Old French and
Catalan languages, paella means frying pan or pot. The
traditional paella pan is flat and of large diameter,
it can also have handles on each side.
In fact, paella is one of the most versatile
dishes to make. Paella also has the advantage of being
great to clean out the fridge and use up leftover meats
and vegetables. Any combination will eventually be great
the secret is in the chemistry. Paella is a dish that
is generally made to feed several people. Moreover,
paella is quite flavorful the next day as the tastes
have had time to mix together and become stronger.
This article is not a recipe but rather
an outline that describes the three basic steps to follow
to make a wonderful paella while leaving the reader
(the chef!) the latitude to be creative and to make
the dish their own by customizing it to their taste.
First the rice.
Select a type of rice that you are comfortable
using. Feel free to experiment but know that paella
contains a lot of ingredients and if you are unhappy
with the end result with a particular type of rice,
you might end up with a lot of waste. Basmati, brown
or a mix with wild rice can add great taste and texture.
Follow the instructions on the package with regards
to washing and cooking the rice. Finely chop some onion,
garlic and tomato. Heat a saucepan and add olive oil
once the saucepan is hot (make sure that the oil does
not start smoking. Burnt olive oil is carcinogenic and
quite unhealthy). Once the oil is hot, throw in the
uncooked rice. Frying uncooked rice gives it a nutty
taste. Let the rice fry in the saucepan for a minute
or so. Add the chopped onion, garlic and tomato until
they soften, mixing constantly. Spice with saffron,
salt and pepper. Feel free to experiment. Cumin, Cayenne
various fine herbs or even a bit cinnamon or cloves
can easily be added for a flavoring of your own. This
mixture should not be on the stove for more that three
to five minutes. At high heat with constant mixing,
none of the ingredients should stick but they should
mix well together and soften. Once all the ingredients
are combined, remove the saucepan from the burner and
mix in some frozen peas. Add enough peas to make a well
balanced mixture.
Second the meat.
In a frying pan at high heat, brown
some pieces of chicken. Upper thighs, drumsticks, breasts...it's
all good. Do not cook the meat completely but brown
the outside. Once browned, set the meat aside. Lamb
can also add great flavor to your paella.
Third combining it all.
Cover the bottom of the paella pan with
the uncooked rice mixture. Add the browned chicken pieces
on top. Add uncooked Merguez (spicy lamb sausages) and
small fish filets rolled up and fastened with a toothpick
or string. Use any type of fish but make sure that its
flesh will hold well together. Pour some chicken broth
on top (if the broth is warm the cooking time will reduce).
Note that you can also add wine for more flavor. Cover
the paella dish and cook for about 45 minutes at 350F
or until the rice is cooked. At this point you can add
raw shrimp or muscles and cook uncovered for another
five minutes.
In short, the secret to preparing the
perfect paella is to make it your own!
1howto.com
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