Recently I held a cooking class in Richmond, VA. As part of our menu our class prepared a Spanish dish called Paella. I was surprised to learn that many people had either not had paella before or had never even heard of it. Since paella is so wonderful and is one of those dishes that is naturally gluten-free I thought that it would be nice to take our subscribers through a crash course on making delicious paella.

What is Paella?

Paella is a wonderful dish originating in Valencia, Spain. It is a complete meal dish with vegetables, meat and of course it’s star - the rice. Originally it was made with rabbit and snails, however, over the course of years it has since been modified in many ways to include a variety of meats, fish and vegetables. Every chef will undoubtedly prepare paella in slightly different ways with different ingredients…so the general recipe you will learn in this month’s class is just a guide. Once you get a feel for how this dish comes together you will see how easy it is to adjust with ingredients you love and subtle flavor differences you enjoy.

There are several "rules" of paella which carry through to virtually all versions. Understanding these "rules" will help you create a good foundation for your paella and ultimately a great tasting, authentic dish.

Choosing the Right Rice

The rice used in paella should be a medium-grain rice. Medium-grain rice absorbs liquid well and it stays relatively firm during the cooking process. The rice should be dry and separate when done not creamy like risotto. The most appreciated variety of Spanish rice is bomba, but you’ll have good success with the more commonly available medium-grain rice sold by Goya. Many chefs will also use Arborio which is also an acceptable substitute.

The Importance of the Paella Pan

A true paella pan is wide, round and shallow and has splayed sides. It does not have a lid. It has two looped handles and may dip slightly in the middle so the oil can pool there for the preliminary sautéing. The shape of the pan ensures that the rice cooks in a thin layer. The key is to maximize the amount of rice touching the bottom of the pan because that is where the flavor lives.

Using the Right Heat Source

The heat source should accommodate the whole paella pan so make sure your flame or element is large enough to cover the complete bottom surface area of your pan. You can also cook paella outdoors on a large gas or charcoal grill, or even a wood fire — which is how it is done at paella competitions in Spain.

The Sofrito

The Sofrito is the sauté of aromatics which provides the flavor base to the paella. The components vary by region and by chef. Tomato, onion, and garlic are a common trio for the Sofrito. Some chefs use paprika, herbs or dried peppers. The technique is simple — sauté the vegetables over medium heat until they soften and the flavors meld and the water from the tomato has evaporated. This mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon.

The Cooking Liquid

A flavorful liquid cooks the rice while giving it additional flavor. You can use chicken, vegetable or fish stock or you can use water which many home cooks do in Spain. Almost every paella recipe will call for saffron which contributes to the color as well as add a subtle flavor to the rice.

Now we know the basic elements of paella, so let’s start cooking. In this class we will prepare our Paella — again, feel free to modify. In our last cooking class in Virginia we had several people who were allergic to shellfish so we omitted the shrimp altogether and the end result was still superb.

Let’s begin:

Ingredients:

Broth:

• 1 dried Anaheim chile
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 cups gf chicken stock
• Pinch of saffron threads

Herb blend:

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Paella:

• 24 unpeeled large shrimp (about 2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 gf hot-Italian sausages, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 chicken thighs, skinned, boned and cut into 4 pieces
• 2-1/2 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 2 cups sliced zucchini
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (or frozen)
• 8 lime wedges

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare the cooking liquid

To prepare the broth, remove stem and seeds from chile. Combine the chile, cumin, cinnamon, and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor; process until minced. Combine chile mixture, broth and a pinch of saffron in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Step 2: Prepare an herb blend

To prepare herb blend, combine cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and 2 garlic cloves. Set aside.

Step 3: Prepare the Meat/Fish

To prepare paella, peel and de-vein shrimp, leaving tails intact; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large paella pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add chicken; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from pan.

Step 4: Prepare the Sofrito

Add bell pepper and onion to the pan and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt, and 3 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Step 5: Bring the Paella Together

Stir in broth, herb blend, sausages, and corn; cook 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. (Periodically taste and adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.) Arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture. Remove the pan from the heat. Cover with a towel, and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

For variety try our Spanish Paella or our Spanish Paella with Chorizo Sausage.

Serving Paella

Traditionally paella was served in communal style. The pan was placed in the center of the table and the guests ate directly from the pan. If this is not your style, place the paella pan in the center of the table and let your guests serve themselves. This is not a dish that is meant to be plated for each individual person.

We hope you enjoy this flavorful dish. It may at first look like a very involved process but if you take each step on its own it really comes together very quickly. For a different dinner party idea, have your guests help you prepare the paella — giving each guest a different task. This makes a very fun and rewarding dinner for all to enjoy!

- Glutenfreeda