What's the secret to great paella?
#46
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
I always feel sorry for the person who has to clean the paellera afterwards.
I mean those larger ones that you get at a buffet libre or in the street.
And dont they go rusty quickly if you dont grease them after.
I mean those larger ones that you get at a buffet libre or in the street.
And dont they go rusty quickly if you dont grease them after.
#47
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
It is the crusty bit of the paella at the bottom, the real tasty bit.
So now you can go out and spread the word....... and the word is SOCARRAT
#49
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
That will impress the cr*p out of everyone who has a little giggle at my turn of phrase. I am just too Englishified for them sometimes.
Last edited by JLFS; May 6th 2010 at 8:37 am.
#50
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
deleted
Last edited by JLFS; May 6th 2010 at 8:37 am. Reason: double post
#51
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
I am from Valencia - I make sure I have some whenever I visit back!
IMO, the best one is with meat, not the seafood (which works best with fideua) or the mixed (over-rated). Chicken, rabbit and, if you can, snails.
If possible, use a wood fire. Also make sure when you chuck in the rice it makes little raised paths within the broth.
It is very important to leave the rice to rest when it's cooked, for 5-10 minutes. You just leave it aside and cover the paella pan with newspaper. Don't know why, but it makes it tastier.
The socarrat (aka burnt bit) is the best : )
Enjoy!
IMO, the best one is with meat, not the seafood (which works best with fideua) or the mixed (over-rated). Chicken, rabbit and, if you can, snails.
If possible, use a wood fire. Also make sure when you chuck in the rice it makes little raised paths within the broth.
It is very important to leave the rice to rest when it's cooked, for 5-10 minutes. You just leave it aside and cover the paella pan with newspaper. Don't know why, but it makes it tastier.
The socarrat (aka burnt bit) is the best : )
Enjoy!
#56
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
You absolutely have to use the short grain paella rice.
Lots of different makes are sold and is cheap enough around here probably because so much is bought. When cooked it is soft outside but with a crunch inside.
You can buy sachets of paella seasoning which also colours the rice and this gives an authentic flavour even without anything else added.
I think the paellera pan gives a flavour also.Something in the metal!!!!!
My daughter loves her school paella (rice only-throws the rest out of the window lol) and tries to get me to copy it.She says Ive come close but still something lacks.
Lots of different makes are sold and is cheap enough around here probably because so much is bought. When cooked it is soft outside but with a crunch inside.
You can buy sachets of paella seasoning which also colours the rice and this gives an authentic flavour even without anything else added.
I think the paellera pan gives a flavour also.Something in the metal!!!!!
My daughter loves her school paella (rice only-throws the rest out of the window lol) and tries to get me to copy it.She says Ive come close but still something lacks.
#57
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
What's the secret to great paella?
Marinade the meat (chicken, rabbit, or pork) in manzanilla, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and crushed garlic overnight in the fridge. Brown the meat (keep in the juices) before adding it, along with the marinade, to the paella dish, etc.
Marinade the meat (chicken, rabbit, or pork) in manzanilla, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and crushed garlic overnight in the fridge. Brown the meat (keep in the juices) before adding it, along with the marinade, to the paella dish, etc.
Last edited by Carol&John; May 7th 2010 at 6:54 pm. Reason: add bay leaf
#58
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7,749
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
What's the secret to great paella?
Marinade the meat (chicken, rabbit, or pork) in manzanilla, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and crushed garlic overnight in the fridge. Brown the meat (keep in the juices) before adding it, along with the marinade, to the paella dish, etc.
Marinade the meat (chicken, rabbit, or pork) in manzanilla, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and crushed garlic overnight in the fridge. Brown the meat (keep in the juices) before adding it, along with the marinade, to the paella dish, etc.
Even in a seafood paella, a lot of people dont bother even eating the prawns and langostines and things because all the good juices have escaped into the rice. What remains is quite flavourless.
#59
Re: What's the secret to great paella?
Thx to all for some great tips, and some friendly cheerful banter. Nice to see a thread where we don't lay into each other.