- Sautéing the Sofrito
Heat the olive oil in a wide paella pan. First, sauté the calamari and set it aside. In the same oil, sauté the finely chopped onions and garlic; then add the tomato purée and smoked paprika to create a rich "sofrito" (sauce base). Steep the saffron in hot fish stock to prepare it.
- Cooking the Rice
Add the rice to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes, until it is completely coated with the sauce. Add the saffron-infused fish stock. From this point on, never stir the rice! Refraining from stirring prevents the rice from releasing its starch and ensures that the grains remain separate. Cook over low heat for approximately 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- The Socarrat and Resting
Once the liquid has completely evaporated, turn the heat up to the maximum for one minute; this creates the famous crispy layer (socarrat) at the bottom. Turn off the stove, cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon slices and fresh parsley.
- Kalorien:480 kcal%24%
- Protein:28 g%56%
- Kohlenhydrate:65 g%25%
- Zucker:4 g%4%
- Salz:2.3 g%38%
- Energie:2010 kJ%24%
- Fett:12 g%17%
Paella, which spread to the world from Spain’s Valencia region, is less of a mere dish and more of a social ritual. It takes its name from the wide, shallow pan (paellera) in which it is cooked. Although originally a peasant dish, the version prepared with seafood is today one of the most prestigious plates in Mediterranean cuisine. The most important element of paella is saffron; it imparts that iconic golden-yellow hue and unique aroma to the rice. Furthermore, the crispy layer of rice that forms at the bottom of the pan known as socarrat serves as the true test of a paella’s flavor.
