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Paella Cooking Tips

Cooking a Paella

The Valencia paella is traditionally cooked over wood. Believe it or not, it makes quite a lot of difference to the flavour. The only problem is that controlling the fire sometimes can be difficult. If you decide to cook it outside, start collecting wood because it will require more wood than you think (about 3 to 4 kilos). Cooking the paella on a gas hob/ring is a lot easier. The paella gas ring ensures the Paella is cooked evenly as the heat is very controllable. You can also cook a paella easily at home - on your domestic hob.  Our 38cm enamelled pan is the ideal size for regular home use, and is suitable gas, electric and ceramic hobs.  Remember, you must always use the correct size of pan for the number of portions you intend to serve-up - you cannot use a larger pan with only half the ingredients.

Paella Rice Tips

The best rice to use to make the paella is Valencian rice (a happy coincidence). The most famous are SOS rice and La Fallera. This rice is fatter and shorter than Indian, long grain rice, so it absorbs more liquid and therefore the rice soaks up more flavour. If you are desperado you can always use pudding rice, but the quality is not quite the same.

José Lluna's Top Tips:

* A thin layer of rice is better than a thick one.

* In Valencia we use “Colorante Alimentario” (food colouring), not real saffron (as it is too expensive) but it is a great substitute.

* Rabbit can be difficult to find - so ask your local butcher if he can order for you.
 
* Before using the paella pan for the first time clean it with normal detergent (washing up liquid).
 
* While "resting" your paella (letting it briefly stand before eating), remove the pan from the heat, and place it on the ground and cover it with a newspaper.

* When the recipe says fill the pan with water - it means that - to the top of the pan.  After it has boiled, the water level sits just below the handle rivets.

* To clean the paella pan after use, fill it up with water and washing up liquid and let it rest until you awake from the siesta that always follows great paella. Then, clean it with washing up liquid again, dry it using a soft cloth to protect it and wipe with a small piece of cotton-wool lightly soaked in olive oil. Enamelled Pans require less maintenance and do not need to be coated with Olive Oil, although, it will not hurt!