Paella Valenciana

La storia di questo piatto

Paella Valenciana is not a dish — it is a Sunday morning stretched into forever, born where the Albufera lagoon breathes mist into orange groves and rice fields shimmer like hammered bronze. It carries the memory of farmers and fishermen who gathered around fire as if around something sacred, feeding not just hunger but belonging.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Bomba rice
• 600 g Chicken pieces
• 400 g Rabbit pieces
• 200 g Green beans
• 1 l Vegetable or chicken broth
• 200 g Canned tomatoes
• 1 medium Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 teaspoons Sweet paprika
• 1 pinch Saffron threads
• 100 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper
• 100 ml Water for saffron

Preparazione

1. Place the saffron in a bowl with warm water. You'll immediately see the water begin to turn yellow-orange: wait until the color becomes intense and deep (the water should be almost opaque and dark amber in color). Meanwhile, pour the broth into a small pot and place it on the stove over low heat: it must stay hot and just barely trembling, meaning you'll see tiny bubbles rising from the bottom but without the water boiling hard and vigorously.
2. In a wide pan (about 40 cm), pour the olive oil and turn the heat to medium-high. When the bottom of the pan is very hot (test by holding your hand near it: you'll feel intense heat rising up), lay the chicken and rabbit in the pan. Let it sit without touching for 4-5 minutes: you'll see the meat become golden and crispy underneath. Then flip the pieces with tongs and continue cooking until the entire surface is dark and browned (another 3-4 minutes). Finally, sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
3. Add the onion that you've minced finely and the garlic. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon until they're well distributed in the pan and no lumps remain. After about 3-4 minutes, the onion will change: it will become translucent (you can almost see through the pieces), soft and very fragrant. You'll smell a sweet and pleasant aroma rising from the pan: that's the signal that it's ready.
4. Spread the sweet paprika all over the pan and stir immediately and quickly with the spoon for about 1 minute, incorporating it well with the meat and onion. This step is important: the paprika must not sit still in contact with the heat, otherwise it burns and becomes bitter. When it's well mixed and the color is uniform red, pour the canned tomatoes into the pan.
5. Pour the bomba rice into the pan and stir continuously with the spoon for 2 minutes: you're toasting the rice to give it a richer and deeper flavor. Watch the grains carefully as you stir: when you see the edges begin to turn translucent and slightly glassy while the center remains still opaque and white, the rice has absorbed the heat and flavors and is ready for the broth.
6. Pour the hot broth a little at a time, starting with about 750 ml. Stir well with the spoon to distribute the broth evenly across the entire pan. Keep the heat at medium-high and wait until you see the liquid beginning to boil vigorously across the entire surface of the pan.
7. Scatter the green beans over the surface of the rice and pour the yellow saffron water all over it. FROM THIS MOMENT ON DO NOT STIR ANYMORE: the rice must absorb the liquid in peace. Lower the heat to medium. You'll see a golden crust forming on the bottom of the pan: when you bring your ear close you'll hear a slight crackling sound, that's the socarrat (the best part of the paella). The crust should be golden and crispy, never black or burned.
8. Let it cook without touching anything and without stirring. During these 18-20 minutes, observe the liquid: as the rice absorbs it, you'll see the water level decrease and the bubbles disappear. It's ready when: the rice is tender when you bite it (taste a grain from the edge), the liquid is completely absorbed and you don't see any more moisture on the surface, you hear a very slight crackling from the bottom (the socarrat is crispy but not burned).
9. Turn off the heat. Cover the paella with a sheet of aluminum foil and let it rest still for 5 minutes: the remaining heat inside will complete the cooking, the rice grains will become even softer and more separate, and all the flavors will come together perfectly.