Paella is currently an internationally-known rice dish from Spain. It originated in the fields of a region called Valencia on the eastern coast of Spain. Today paella is made in every region of Spain, using just about any ingredient that goes well with rice. There are as many versions of paella as there are cooks. It may contain chicken, pork, shellfish, fish, eel, squid, beans, peas, artichokes or peppers. saffron, the spice that also turns the rice a wonderful golden color is an essential part of the dish.
Health Benefits
Olive oil is rich in mono saturated fats that are healthy and contain a huge amount of anti-oxidants as well.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp each hot smoked paprika and dried thyme
300 g paella or risotto rice
3 tbsp dry sherry or white wine (optional)
400 g can chopped tomato with garlic
900 ml chicken stock
400 g bag frozen seafood mix
juice ½ lemon, other half cut into wedges
handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
How To Make Paella
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan or work.
- Add 1 chopped onion and soften for 5 mins.
- Stir in 1 tsp hot smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme and 300g paella or risotto rice,
- stir for 1 min, then splash in 3 tbsp sherry or white wine, if using.
- Once it has evaporated, stir in a 400g can chopped tomatoes with garlic and 900ml chicken stock.
- Season and cook, uncovered, for about 15 mins, stirring now and again until rice is almost tender and still surrounded with some liquid.
- Stir 400g frozen seafood mix into the pan and cover with a lid. Simmer for 5 mins, or until the seafood is cooked through and the rice is tender.
- Squeeze over the juice of ½ lemon, scatter with a handful of flat-leaf parsley and serve with wedges from the remaining ½ lemon.
Trivia
It's a little confusing but 'paella' or to be more exact 'la paella' is the name for cooking pan itself and not the dish. The word comes from old Valencian (in Valencia they have their own language somewhat similar to Catalan) and probably has its roots in the Latin 'patella' meaning pan.