The art of paella

Paella, paella, paella…it sounds like a romantic melody. And paella really does conjure up an image of romance, don’t you think? You’ve seen those movie scenes where the guy stops by the girl’s apartment with a bag of groceries in one hand and a paella pan in the other, ready for a romantic night in.

One of the most famous of the world’s national dishes, paella – the word deriving from the Old French word paelle for “pan” – is also one of the most delicious with a colorful palette of ingredient options.

For the same reason I love Russian pelmeni and Chinese stir fries, paella is such a great medium for adding lots of healthy veggies and you can create any combination under the sun. Paella makes for a wonderfully wholesome one-pot dish that lends itself to endless creativity.

And paella is just so doggone fun to make!

There's one thing that most paella enthusiasts in Spain seem to agree on: that the sunny, fluffy yellow rice dish served at Spanish restaurants all over the world, the version topped with red peppers and loaded with everything from shrimp to chorizo to lobster, is not the real thing. Real Spanish paella, which is to say Valencia-style paella—the dish originated in that eastern coastal Spanish city—is an altogether darker, richer, smokier creation: denser than a pilaf, drier than a risotto, and arguably more satisfying than either. But even in Valencia, as I discovered recently over the course of several visits, there's not much of a consensus regarding how this delicious dish, perhaps Spain's most famous, should be prepared and what should, or shouldn't, go into it.

Watch Jamie Oliver’s seafood-free version of the classic Paella Valenciana. Traditionally made with chicken and rabbit, Omar caramelizes the meat and vegetables before adding the rice and “must have” ingredient – saffron. Garlic, smoked paprika and rosemary all add to the incredible flavors of this dish designed to bring everyone to the table. It is best serve with a wedge of lemon. Enjoy it! ¡Buen provecho!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/videos/how-to-make-spanish-paella-omar-allibhoy/#mJlvDBcourCRhfl9.97

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