One-pot Spanish Paella
Valencia on the Mediterranean Coast - Home to the Humble Paella.
The history of Paella and one of many recipe options - Rabbit and Artichoke Paella Recipe an earthy dish that would have been simple peasant fare, prepared in the fields.
Paella is Spain’s most famous dish. Nothing outdoes the presentation of a huge paella to a hungry crowd. From its rustic roots, paella is the perfect one-pot dish to be made in the open-air on a put-together fire or on the abundance of barbecue areas that the Spanish so love.
Paella, an easy one-pot recipe, is a dish for peasants or kings, it can be made with the cheapest fish or meat or the most expensive, but whatever its contents it’s a hearty meal and an impressive looking one.
The Moors brought rice to Spain in the 8th century and soon started cultivating rice on the East Coast. The name paella comes from the type of pan in which it is cooked, patella from the Latin for pan. In the Catalan language, spoken mainly along the Mediterranean coast, paella means frying pan.
The paella pan was traditionally made of iron, with low edges and two wide handles. The iron the locals say adds adistinctive texture and flavour to the rice, so a typical frying pan wouldn’t produce perfect results.
Valencia is the home of paella and rice is still cultivated in the area.
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Rabbit and Artichoke Paella Recipe
- 1 whole rabbit, chopped into around twelve pieces
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 artichokes
- 1 large red pepper, de-seeded
- 3-5 garlic cloves
- 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled
- 1tsp sweet pimenton
- 8 cups chicken stock (mixed with wine if desired, make the chicken stock with mineral water)
- 2 pinches saffron threads
- 3 cups short or medium grain rice
- salt and pepper
- lemons cut into wedges for garnishing.
Preparation
Put the saffron in a little boiling water and leave to infuse until needed.
Season the chopped rabbit. Heat the oil in the paella pan, add the rabbit and cook for about five minutes until brown. Transfer it to a plate. Add the trimmed artichokes, chopped into four or eight depending on their size, and the de-seeded and chopped red pepper to the pan. Cook for five minutes, add the garlic, and finely chopped tomatoes and salt, cook until the tomato sauce begins to darken, around five minutes. Return the rabbit and any juices to the pan, stirring for a further five minutes.
Add the chicken stock and pimenton simmer for 10 minutes. Add the saffron and liquid, and bring the contents to the boil. Add the rice and stir in well, cook for a further ten minutes.
Lower the heat and simmer for about eight minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
Leave to rest for five minutes and serve with lemon wedges.
Anything can be added or changed to make the paella more personal or to your family preference, why not add some squid for a change.
See here for authentic Paella pans and burners, or a Chicken and Prawn Paella.
For another popular Spanish one-pot dish try a Spinach and Chickpea bake.
