Let's Talk Paella

[Recidiva]

Ok this is a shot in the dark, for the crusty that you seek, a really hot cast iron pan, must be near, just before your dish is ready pour in what ever part of said paella you want crusted into the Very hot cast iron pan for a minute or desired crust is achived, quite tricky, add the rest, (be very careful) but I've had it and when done correctly it is Ear Plug Worthy. Of course turning up the heat on the original pan can create the same effect but to each his own.

I see people saying to use cast iron...there is absolutely no way in hell I'm using an essentially wet rice dish and fucking up the cast iron seasoning on my beautiful pans before I get it figured out.

It seems like irresponsible sacrilege.

I do have a cast iron Dutch oven I could use that I use for baking bread...but I'm not doing that until I have some confidence.

Well seasoned cast iron passed down from generation to generation isn't for my playtime.

 

[Recidiva]

I make a friggin killer paella

Please suh...recipe?

 

[Que]

The only thing I feel inclined to say on your tasty thread, Recidiva, is about that crust.

I am not "Spanish" i.e. not from Spain, but the "crust" as made by my family while growing up can vary, this is not a recipe. I cook without a book. This is just my humble and practical suggestion.

Adding butter to whatever oil you use, with your version's measurements, in my casa it was always aceite de maiz (corn oil). This mix was blended together, in a cast iron deep pan, at a fairly hot temperature, but try not to burn. We used rich saffron for the color added to that oil-butter mix, you will add what condiments you prefer of your individual taste to the rice; then the rice (again your choice, but parboiled long grain is excellent for a not soggy paella) is stirred in and fully coated in that hot mix. And your measurements for water according to your version. Then you continue to add your other ingredients, what you call "stuff", at our house it was a variety of shell fish, we also used capers, gives it a unique taste too, for that full flavor típico de La Paella, from my home's kitchen anyway, and the delicious crust forms there because of the heat used at the start with the oil and butter mix.

¡Buen provecho!

This must have been posting while I was musing about how this problem is solved..

I always assumed (apparently incorrectly) That paella was created as a one-pot dish. I assumed the rice did its cooking in the broth. Maybe it's done with left-over rice typically?

I can see how parboiled or leftover rice would brown nicely like egg-fried rice gets.

 

[Ishmael]

Paella is one of those dishes made a million ways. The award winners are loaded with seafood, and I do enjoy arroz con malinara? rice and squid. Theres a Spanish ham that costs $100 a pound, try that in your Paella.

I need to turn you On to Cuban Crab Croquettes. They are to die for.

The Cuban recipes are the ones with the abundance of sea food. Clams, squid, fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, the works. And the ham you speak of is Jamon Serrano.

The best paella's, no matter what you use as meat fillers, are cooked in large iron cauldrons, ie large Dutch oven and served in the cooking vessel. The 'crust' of rice on the bottom is achieved by putting the cooking vessel on a burner turned on high at the very end of the cooking and waiting until you can smell the rice toast.

Ishmael

 

[_Roobarb]

I do have a cast iron Dutch oven I could use that I use for baking bread...

It's not a green one is it?... in the corner of a 70s looking white kitchen?

 

[Recidiva]

It's not a green one is it?... in the corner of a 70s looking white kitchen?

Nope, beautifully seasoned cast iron. I don't think I have any Bakelite

 

[_Roobarb]

Nope, beautifully seasoned cast iron. I don't think I have any Bakelite

OK... It wasn't you then.

 

[Que]

The Cuban recipes are the ones with the abundance of sea food. Clams, squid, fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, the works. And the ham you speak of is Jamon Serrano.

The best paella's, no matter what you use as meat fillers, are cooked in large iron cauldrons, ie large Dutch oven and served in the cooking vessel. The 'crust' of rice on the bottom is achieved by putting the cooking vessel on a burner turned on high at the very end of the cooking and waiting until you can smell the rice toast.

Ishmael

You know, I don't measure the water n rice in my rice cooker anymore but when I used to do it exactly precisely... it did for my golden crust just as the last of the water cooked off...

I could see that working but wow you really have to time that exquisitely well with the real heavy cast iron pot because it's going to continue to cook for quite a while.

 

[Ishmael]

You know, I don't measure the water n rice in my rice cooker anymore but when I used to do it exactly precisely... it did for my golden crust just as the last of the water cooked off...

I could see that working but wow you really have to time that exquisitely well with the real heavy cast iron pot because it's going to continue to cook for quite a while.

Yep, you have to know your cooking vessel well. The best paella's are first cooked on the stove top, then baked in an oven, and finally returned to the stove top for the finishing touch.

The best paella eateries generally require a reservation and the order be placed the day before your visit. Paella is NOT fast food.

Ishmael

 

[Recidiva]

Okay, this is what I ultimately did in an electric wok.

American Paella in a Chinese-Style Electric Wok

ingredients
1 lbs cooked chorizo
2 tbsp olive oil
1 C diced onion
1 lb chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 C cooking sherry
4 cloves garlic minced
4 1/2 C chicken broth
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup cilantro
1 bay leaf
2 C Italian Arborio rice, short grained
2 lbs Littleneck clams
(cooking done on setting of 8, then heat raised to 10 to finish

Cut sausages into 1/2 inch pieces and saute in pan with the oil until lightly browned; stir in the onion. Dry chicken pieces with paper towels, heat fat in pan and brown chicken on all sides. Add the sausage and onions, and then the sherry, garlic, chicken broth, saffron, paprika, cilantro and bay leaf. Cover and simmer slowly 15 minutes-chicken will be half to two third cooked and will finish later, with the rice. (This part may be cooked in advance; bring to the boil before proceeding.)
Finishing Paella-About half an hour before serving, bring chicken-sausage mixture to the rapid boil. Sprinkle in the rice, mixing it down into the liquid with a spoon. Boil rapidly 5 to 6 minutes, uncovered-do not sir the rice. When it has swollen and begun to rise to the surface, push the clams down into the rice. Carefully correct seasoning. Press clams hinge-down into the rice and simmer until rice is fully cooked, raising the temperature to form a crust on the bottom of the pan. Remove bay leaf, remove any unopened clams.
It is best not to not cover the pan, but if you feel rice is not cooking properly, cover for a few minutes, sprinkling on a few tablespoons or so of stock or water if rice seems dry; then uncover to finish the cooking} At the end of the cooking, the rice will have absorbed the liquid. Serve the paella from its cooking pan, garnish with fresh cilantro.

 

[Que]

Okay, this is what I ultimately did in an electric wok.

American Paella in a Chinese-Style Electric Wok

ingredients
1 lbs cooked chorizo
2 tbsp olive oil
1 C diced onion
1 lb chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 C cooking sherry
4 cloves garlic minced
4 1/2 C chicken broth
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup cilantro
1 bay leaf
2 C Italian Arborio rice, short grained
2 lbs Littleneck clams
(cooking done on setting of 8, then heat raised to 10 to finish

Cut sausages into 1/2 inch pieces and saute in pan with the oil until lightly browned; stir in the onion. Dry chicken pieces with paper towels, heat fat in pan and brown chicken on all sides. Add the sausage and onions, and then the sherry, garlic, chicken broth, saffron, paprika, cilantro and bay leaf. Cover and simmer slowly 15 minutes-chicken will be half to two third cooked and will finish later, with the rice. (This part may be cooked in advance; bring to the boil before proceeding.)
Finishing Paella-About half an hour before serving, bring chicken-sausage mixture to the rapid boil. Sprinkle in the rice, mixing it down into the liquid with a spoon. Boil rapidly 5 to 6 minutes, uncovered-do not sir the rice. When it has swollen and begun to rise to the surface, push the clams down into the rice. Carefully correct seasoning. Press clams hinge-down into the rice and simmer until rice is fully cooked, raising the temperature to form a crust on the bottom of the pan. Remove bay leaf, remove any unopened clams.
It is best not to not cover the pan, but if you feel rice is not cooking properly, cover for a few minutes, sprinkling on a few tablespoons or so of stock or water if rice seems dry; then uncover to finish the cooking} At the end of the cooking, the rice will have absorbed the liquid. Serve the paella from its cooking pan, garnish with fresh cilantro.

How did it taste? Were you able to get the crusting?

 

[Recidiva]

How did it taste? Were you able to get the crusting?

I did get a crust! It's a little scorched...but I'll be damned if I don't really damned well like it.

I don't think I've seen a real paella and I usually don't like burned stuff, but this is flavor-rich burned stuff.

This is burned stuff of which to be proud and to attempt to reproduce.

This is delicious.

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

I did get a crust! It's a little scorched...but I'll be damned if I don't really damned well like it.

I don't think I've seen a real paella and I usually don't like burned stuff, but this is flavor-rich burned stuff.

This is burned stuff of which to be proud and to attempt to reproduce.

This is delicious.

Agreed! I'm working on seconds!

 

[Ishmael]

This is a fairly easy paella recipe that I use. The below is just the base recipe and various meats (NOT beef) and/or seafood can be added as desired.

1 large frying chicken (A roaster can be used but they tend to be tougher)
3 pkg.'s. Vigo Spanish Rice. (I've tried other brands and they just don't cut it.)
3 lrg. cloves garlic (More or less to taste)
Ripe olives
Green stuffed olives.
Olive oil (extra virgin)

Boil the chicken until cooked. Remove the skin and shred the chicken into bite sized chunks. Skim off the fat from the stock and reserve.

Cook the rice as per directions but substitute 1 cup of stock for 1 cup of water per pkg. (I've tried cooking all three pkgs in one pan with little success. Two pkg.'s max. per pan. Best results are 1 pkg./pan.)

While the rice is cooking slice the olives. Approx. 1/2 can of ripe and 1/2 jar of green.

In a large bowl mix the rice, chicken, olives, thinly sliced garlic, and 1/4 cup olive oil. (At this point you can add cooked chorizo, etc.)

Put the 'paella' in 13x9 pans (I use glass) and bake covered for 20 min's or so in a 350 deg. oven. (Or if you want to go more towards the 'classic dump the mixture in a lrg. dutch oven and bake it that way. If you do this you can do the finish on a top burner for the rice crust.)

It's not exactly classic, but it's cheap and relatively quick.

Ishmael

 

[Recidiva]

This is a fairly easy paella recipe that I use. The below is just the base recipe and various meats (NOT beef) and/or seafood can be added as desired.

1 large frying chicken (A roaster can be used but they tend to be tougher)
3 pkg.'s. Vigo Spanish Rice. (I've tried other brands and they just don't cut it.)
3 lrg. cloves garlic (More or less to taste)
Ripe olives
Green stuffed olives.
Olive oil (extra virgin)

Boil the chicken until cooked. Remove the skin and shred the chicken into bite sized chunks. Skim off the fat from the stock and reserve.

Cook the rice as per directions but substitute 1 cup of stock for 1 cup of water per pkg. (I've tried cooking all three pkgs in one pan with little success. Two pkg.'s max. per pan. Best results are 1 pkg./pan.)

While the rice is cooking slice the olives. Approx. 1/2 can of ripe and 1/2 jar of green.

In a large bowl mix the rice, chicken, olives, thinly sliced garlic, and 1/4 cup olive oil. (At this point you can add cooked chorizo, etc.)

Put the 'paella' in 13x9 pans (I use glass) and bake covered for 20 min's or so in a 350 deg. oven. (Or if you want to go more towards the 'classic dump the mixture in a lrg. dutch oven and bake it that way. If you do this you can do the finish on a top burner for the rice crust.)

It's not exactly classic, but it's cheap and relatively quick.

Ishmael

Very cool! Yes, that's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for. I want to understand the traditional technique, but I also want to be able to customize it according to need. The electric Wok is really good because during huge family gatherings, the more things I can use that aren't stovetop and oven are very helpful. On Thanksgiving we have two kitchens in the house and both will be in full use. We also have a cabin in the Poconos, and for family gatherings there the cooking and storage space is minimal. So I've found that if I can do a lot of my stuff in another room with a crock pot or the sous vide Ulaven made for me, or the electric wok, I'm out of everybody's way and they're out of mine and dinner is easier.

 

[Ishmael]

Very cool! Yes, that's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for. I want to understand the traditional technique, but I also want to be able to customize it according to need. The electric Wok is really good because during huge family gatherings, the more things I can use that aren't stovetop and oven are very helpful. On Thanksgiving we have two kitchens in the house and both will be in full use. We also have a cabin in the Poconos, and for family gatherings there the cooking and storage space is minimal. So I've found that if I can do a lot of my stuff in another room with a crock pot or the sous vide Ulaven made for me, or the electric wok, I'm out of everybody's way and they're out of mine and dinner is easier.

This recipe stores easily in the fridge so you can do everything but the oven baking before hand, cooking time necessarily increases if you do though, maybe 15 min or so. The olive oil prevents the rice from drying out too badly. Don't bother trying to nuke it, the chicken turns to rubber.

Ishmael

 

[Recidiva]

This recipe stores easily in the fridge so you can do everything but the oven baking before hand, cooking time necessarily increases if you do though, maybe 15 min or so. The olive oil prevents the rice from drying out too badly. Don't bother trying to nuke it, the chicken turns to rubber.

Ishmael

Yeah...I might cheat myself and nuke something myself to reheat...but if I'm feeding other people, reheating happens in the oven.

 

[oralaccents]

Thanks, now I want Paella.

Are you still sure about that?