Achieving a dream paella requires mastering certain secrets, having some culinary practice and having the right utensils and ingredients in the kitchen. From choosing the pan to preparing the stock, selecting the rice and paprika, here are all the tips you need to discover how to make a delicious and memorable paella.
Specifically, the name of this preparation derives from the frying pan in which the recipe is prepared. This pan provides a large capacity, withstands high temperatures, and facilitates the mixing of the ingredients, thus ensuring an optimal result in the paella.
Moreover, this menu offers a shared experience, as it can feed up to 14 diners. It is therefore not a dish to be enjoyed alone, but rather a generous meal, full of flavour and substance that evokes celebration, so it is essential that it is masterfully prepared.
How to prepare an exquisite paella
Use the right frying pan
We recommend that you have a cast iron frying pan that has the appropriate capacity for the preparation. In this way, you will achieve greater uniformity in cooking and you will be able to preserve each of the properties of the different ingredients. At the same time, this utensil helps to avoid the classic boiled food effect.
Select the right heat source
The heat source is essential when cooking paella. However, sometimes finding the ideal choice can be a challenge. If possible, a special cooker should be used that can completely cover the diameter of the pan with its flames.
However, in practice, achieving this level of heat with domestic cookers can be difficult. A useful tip is to use a flame diffuser to help distribute the heat evenly.
Cooking with broth
On this point, there is some disagreement among culinary professionals, although most of them agree on how important it is to use stock when preparing paella. One of the main benefits of stock is that it will help to reinforce and enrich the flavour of the dish.
On the other hand, it is considered that the right amount of rice should be at least twice as much as the stock and no more than three times as much. However, it is key to have more stock, as depending on the type of rice you use, the amount you need may vary.
Choose good quality ingredients
Thanks to the flavour it provides, one of the essential elements for cooking a good paella is paprika or paprika. At this point, we recommend you look for smoked paprika, as it will also give colour to the preparation.
On the other hand, Calasparra rice or arroz bomba is one of the preferred rice for preparing paella. This variety usually requires about 18 minutes of cooking time. Additionally, we recommend that you avoid stirring the rice, instead, move the pan around a bit at a time.
Make even cuts in all ingredients
By following this tip you will surprise everyone with this wonderful recipe. Similarly, cutting the ingredients into a similar size will facilitate even cooking. This will pave the way for even cooking, where every bite is an explosion of perfectly integrated flavours. This seemingly small detail will make all the difference in the final result, elevating your dish to a level of excellence that will be admired and appreciated by all diners. So don't underestimate the power of precision in the kitchen, I assure you that the results will leave you speechless!
The sofrito
One of the most important tricks when preparing paella is to sauté all the ingredients slowly but for a long time. This will allow them to take on a perfect colouring, classic of a wonderful sofrito from Valencia, and will increase the flavour of the stew.
Just the right point for crust formation
At the bottom of the pan, it is possible to generate a crust, known as scorching. This is composed of well cooked-burnt rice. To achieve this, simply increase the temperature a little when you reach the middle stage of cooking and reduce it when the preparation is almost ready. This will form a crust at just the right point, giving it an excellent texture.
Let the paella rest
If you want the paella to be a success, when you finish cooking, let the preparation rest for about 5 minutes. This will allow the different flavours to combine with each other, allowing the final texture of the rice to be excellent.
Conclusion
We hope that these tips will allow you to prepare and enjoy an amazing paella in the company of your loved ones, either with your family or with your friends and colleagues.
Finally, don't forget that at Pescados y Congelados Guerrero, we have excellent quality seafood such as mussels, prawns and squid. These ingredients will be crucial to achieve an authentic and delicious paella.
