Paella comes from Valencia, and the name really belongs to the pan, not the dish. The original paella valenciana contains neither seafood nor chorizo – it is made with rabbit, chicken, flat green beans and garrofó. Seafood paella is a coastal version that came later. Both are genuine enough; the point is to know which one you are making.
What actually decides the result
Three things, in this order: the right rice, enough width in the pan, and leaving it alone.
- The rice should be short-grained and take up plenty of liquid without falling apart. Paella rice, bomba or calasparra. Not risotto rice, which turns creamy – the opposite of what you want.
- The pan should be wide and shallow. The rice sits in a thin layer and cooks in the stock; it should not stand deep.
- Do not stir. From the moment the rice is spread out until it is done, you do not stir once. That is what gives you socarrat.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 300 g paella rice
- 900 ml chicken stock or fish stock
- A pinch of saffron, about 10–15 threads
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion and 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, in strips
- 2 tbsp grated tomato or passata
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt
Valencian: 400 g chicken and rabbit in pieces, 150 g flat green beans, 100 g white beans.
Seafood: 300 g prawns, 300 g mussels, 200 g squid rings.
Method
- Steep the saffron. Crush the threads lightly and put them in 2–3 tbsp of warm stock for a quarter of an hour. Never scatter saffron straight into the pan – that way you get neither colour nor flavour out of it.
- Brown the protein. Heat the oil and fry the chicken and rabbit, or the squid, until well coloured. Take it out.
- Sofrito. Fry the onion and pepper until soft, add the garlic, tomato and smoked paprika, and let it sizzle together for a couple of minutes.
- The rice. Tip in the rice and turn it through the sofrito for a minute, so every grain is coated in fat.
- The stock. Pour in all the stock and the saffron liquid. Spread the rice out evenly. This is the last time you stir.
- Cook. 10 minutes over a good heat, then 8 minutes over a low one. Return the protein along the way; prawns and mussels go on for the last 5 minutes.
- Socarrat. Turn the heat up for 1–2 minutes at the end. You should hear it crackle and catch a lightly toasted smell. If you smell burning, you have left it too long.
- Rest. Cover with a tea towel and let the pan stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Socarrat, explained
Socarrat is the caramelised layer of rice that sets on the bottom of the pan. It is not a mistake, it is the aim – in Valencia it is the layer people argue about. You only get it if the rice has been left in peace and all the liquid has been taken up before you give it those last minutes over a high heat.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ordinary rice? Long-grain rice does not take up enough flavour, and risotto rice turns creamy. Short-grained paella rice is what works.
Do I have to use saffron? It gives both the colour and the characteristic flavour. Turmeric gives colour, but not flavour. See saffron for how little it takes.
Why did my rice turn to porridge? Too much liquid, too narrow a pan, or you stirred. All three give the same result.
Does chorizo belong in paella? Not in the traditional versions. It takes over the whole flavour, and in Valencia it counts as a clear mistake. That does not mean it tastes bad.
See also the spice range and tinned goods for the rest of what you need.
