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| José Mari serves paella to family and friends gathered on the patio of a farmhouse in the country. Note the rice is slightly browned on the bottom--a perfect socarrat. (All photos by Eli Searl.) |
It’s a hot and sunny Sunday in the campo (countryside) of Coín, a town in the Guadalhorce valley of Málaga province. Family and friends gather in the shade on a vine-covered patio or splash in the pool. José Mari sets a paella pan on the gas ring, a burner big enough to hold a really big pan. He pours in olive oil and starts frying pieces of chicken.
José Mari, a school friend of my son, Daniel, has invited Daniel and family to join them for a Sunday paella. They live in town but often get together at the campo house.
José Mari’s “recipe”: La paella varia segun las zonas--cada uno le pone distintas cosas. Importante el sofrito: tomate, pimiento, cebolla, ajos, y ramita perejil y pimentón. Aceite de oliva. Laurel, pimienta y clavo de olor. Vino fino o manzanilla, unos guisantes. Jibia o calamar, almeja, gamba blanca, pollo y le pongo un conejo de campo de los que cazo para sabor. Esta es la mia.
Translation: Paella varies according to regions—everyone puts in different ingredients. Here's my version. The sofrito is important: tomato, peppers, onion, garlics, a sprig of parsley and pimentón (paprika). Olive oil. Bay leaf, pepper, and clove. Fino sherry or manzanilla, some peas. Cuttlefish or squid, clams, white shrimps, chicken, and I put in pieces of wild rabbit—one of the ones I hunt. (Note: this is Andalusia. Although it’s called “paella,” there is no pretense or apology for not making a Valencia paella. José Mari didn’t mention saffron. Often pimentón (sweet paprika) stands in for saffron or home cooks might use colorante, artificial yellow coloring. Some people might make a quick stock with shrimp heads and shells, but on country outings, it’s customary to use water. The addition of bay leaf, pepper, clove, and that glug of sherry adds flavor. Depending on the season and the proximity of family huertas—vegetable gardens—the cook might pick peas, fava beans, artichokes, green beans, tomatoes, and peppers for the paella.)
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José Mari first fries small pieces of chicken, rabbit, and squid until they are nicely browned, then stirs in a sofrito (onions, garlic, and tomato). The sofrito can be made right in the paella pan or, for convenience, prepared at home and brought to the campo in a táper ("táper" is phonetic spelling of "tupper," the generic name for plastic storage containers with lids.) He pours in water to the depth of the rivets in the pan.
Once the liquid is bubbling, it's time to add the rice. Paella rice is a medium-short round-grain variety.
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He stirs the shrimp and peas into the rice to distribute everything evenly in the pan. Then, no more stirring! The paella bubbles for a few minutes, then the heat is lowered so the rice finishes cooking. Once the rice is just barely tender, it's removed from the fire and allowed to set about 10 minutes to finish cooking.
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Two of my grandsons, Leo and Lucas, sample the pinchitos and kick a soccer ball around beside the pool.
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Paella is almost ready! My son Daniel joins his friend, José Mari, to test the rice.
Family-Style PAELLA
To serve 6.
6-12 mussels or clams, steamed open, liquid strained and reserved
1/4 cup olive oil
4-5 boneless chicken thighs, each cut into 3 or 4 pieces
12 ounces squid, cleaned and cut in rings
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 cups chicken broth, clam liquid or water
2 cups medium-short grain rice
pinch of saffron, crushed and mixed in 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon pimentón (paprika)
peas or green beans,
1 pound peeled shrimp
freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
strips of roasted red pepper for garnish
lemon wedges for garnish
Heat the oil in a paella pan or very large skillet. Add the pieces of chicken to the oil and sauté on a medium-high heat until they are browned on both sides. Add the squid and fry. Add the peppers and garlic and continue sautéing. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are slightly reduced. Add the broth or water.
Bring the liquid to a boil and add the rice. Stir it to combine all the ingredients. Stir in the saffron, pimentón, peas, shrimp, pepper and salt to taste (depending on the saltiness of the stock). Let everything cook on a medium- heat for 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to low and continue to cook until rice is just tender, about 15 minutes more.
Place the cooked clams or mussels on top and garnish with strips of red pepper. Remove from heat, cover with foil and let the paella rest 10 minutes. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.
Another home-style paella recipe: Rustic Valencia Paella (cooked on a gas barbecue).
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