Paella Valenciana

Paella Valenciana

The original rice dish from Valencia, cooked outdoors over an open fire in a wide, shallow pan. Rabbit and chicken are the traditional meats, paired with green beans, garrofó beans and a saffron-scented stock that the bomba rice absorbs without stirring.

Prep

25 min

Cook

50 min

Total

75 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 ml (3¾ cups) water, or mild chicken stock; do not use strong stock
• •0.5 g (a generous pinch) saffron threads, preferably from La Mancha
• •60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil, Spanish extra-virgin
• •300 g (10½ oz) chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on, cut across the bone into roughly 5 cm pieces
• •300 g (10½ oz) rabbit, cut into roughly 5 cm pieces; substitute with extra chicken if unavailable
• •1 tsp sweet paprika
• •1 tsp smoked paprika, optional, for a more pronounced fire-cooked flavour
• •200 g (7 oz) flat green beans, ferradura or runner beans, fresh; cut into 4 cm lengths
• •100 g (3½ oz) garrofó beans, fresh or frozen lima beans; substitute with butter beans if unavailable
• •2 medium ripe tomatoes, grated on the coarse side of a box grater, skin discarded
• •300 g (1½ cups) bomba rice, Calasparra or Valencia; do not substitute with risotto or long-grain rice
• •1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• •4 sprigs fresh rosemary, optional, traditional in some households
• •1 whole lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Steep the saffron in 60 ml (¼ cup) of warm water for at least 15 minutes so the colour and flavour release fully.
2. 2 Warm the olive oil in a 35–40 cm paella pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken and rabbit with the sweet paprika, smoked paprika (if using) and ½ tsp salt, then add to the pan skin-side down. Sear for 4–5 minutes until deep golden, turn and brown the other side for another 3–4 minutes. The poultry is safely cooked once juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer reads 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part; rabbit should reach 71 °C / 160 °F. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3 Lower the heat to medium. Add the green beans and a pinch of salt and sauté for 4–5 minutes until they start to soften and brighten in colour.
4. 4 Stir in the grated tomato and cook for 3–4 minutes, scraping the fond from the base of the pan, until the tomato has reduced to a thick paste and the oil begins to separate around the edges.
5. 5 Add the remaining water (840 ml / 3½ cups), the garrofó beans, the seared meats and any juices, the rosemary sprigs (if using) and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a brisk boil and simmer for 10 minutes so the meats finish cooking and the stock picks up their flavour; taste and adjust salt.
6. 6 Stir in the bomba rice, spreading it out in an even layer. Do not stir again after this point. Pour the saffron infusion evenly across the surface.
7. 7 Cook at a steady medium-high simmer for 8–10 minutes, then lower the heat to medium-low and cook a further 8–10 minutes. The rice should absorb nearly all the liquid and sit just above the surface of the stock. Total rice cooking time is around 18 minutes for bomba; do not cover the pan.
8. 8 Increase the heat to medium-high for the final 1–2 minutes to encourage socarrat: listen for a faint crackling and smell a toasty aroma. If you have one, an infrared thermometer should read roughly 180 °C / 350 °F at the base. Remove from the heat and rest off the burner, uncovered, for 5 minutes so the bottom crust firms up.
9. 9 Serve straight from the pan, garnished with lemon wedges for squeezing over each portion. Traditionally eaten at midday, often as a single communal dish.