Paella Valenciana

About This Recipe

Paella Valenciana is the original paella — born in Valencia's countryside, made with rabbit, chicken, lima beans, green beans, snails (traditionally), and bomba rice cooked in a wide pan over open fire. The crispy bottom layer (socarrat) is the most prized part. Saffron, paprika, and rosemary perfume the rice. Forget seafood paella — this rural classic is the real deal.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 smallchicken (1.5kg), cut in 8 pieces
• 1 smallrabbit (1kg), cut in pieces (or more chicken)
• 400 gbomba or arborio rice
• 200 gfresh garrofó (lima beans)
• 200 ggreen beans, trimmed
• 2 mediumtomatoes, grated
• 1/4 cupolive oil
• 1.5 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 pinchsaffron threads
• 1 sprigfresh rosemary
• 1.5 Lchicken stock, hot
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 1lemon, cut in wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat pan

   Heat olive oil in 38cm paella pan or wide skillet over medium-high heat.

2. 2

   Brown meats

   Season meats with salt and pepper. Brown rabbit and chicken on all sides, 12 minutes. Push to edges of pan.

3. 3

   Cook beans

   Add green beans and garrofó to center. Sauté 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add tomato

   Push everything aside. Add grated tomato to center, cook until liquid evaporates, 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Add spices

   Stir in paprika, saffron, and rosemary. Mix everything together.

6. 6

   Add stock

   Pour in hot stock. Season generously. Bring to vigorous boil.

7. 7

   Add rice

   Sprinkle rice evenly across pan. Don't stir again from this point. Boil hard 8 minutes.

8. 8

   Reduce heat

   Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 12 more minutes until rice is just tender and most liquid is absorbed.

9. 9

   Create socarrat

   Increase heat to high for 2 minutes to create crispy bottom (socarrat). You should hear it crackle.

10. 10

    Rest

    Cover with kitchen towel and rest 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Variations

• •

  Paella de Marisco: seafood version with shrimp, mussels, calamari.

• •

  Paella Mixta: combination of meat and seafood (frowned upon by purists).

Storage

Best fresh. Refrigerate up to 2 days, reheat in oven.

Frequently Asked Questions