Paella

Went to a party at a friend's place. I did some prep work but was otherwise the culinary photographer. This was serious work. Custom made burners and imported paella pans. Ingredients all sourced locally from land and sea. Great time, especially the eating part.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7...03a205af_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7...080862d2_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7136/7...7099e53c_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7...4aa7b666_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7...6c3e0333_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7113/7...50b6cb32_c.jpg

There was at least one Richard Sachs customer in attendance who was also a David Kirk customer.

Sweet baby jesus. Really wonderful stuff, thanks for the peek. I've got the baby version of that pan, it is only 2' across!
Apparently, in Spain they have once a year Paella contests where all the work is done over open fire pits.
Cooking traditions with deep cultural connections lights my fire.

What you described fits the basis for a future coffee table book that I'll never finish: "If you had a visitor coming to town and you were to prepare a meal for them that exemplified and showed your guest what values are embraced by your family what would that be?"

A thing of beauty. My Paella pan is 48cm diameter, so feeling quite inadequate

Our friends are the guy with the striped shirt and the woman with the striped apron. He is a jeweler who works almost entirely in gold forging. They have both taught us that if you do something, anything, do it for the joy of the doing and/or the eating, emphasis on the eating, but also on the community that comes from having many people making food together. Don't accept the cheapened life. Or as he says, Life is too short for bad coffee and crappy wine. Really great people.

Recently my market has started carrying Calasparra rice. So I gave it a try and really like the texture / flavor.
I make a basic seafood dish on the stove using the rice which becomes a quasi-paella.
Chicken,chorizo,peppers,onions,saffron,shrimp,clam s,baby octopus,squid,Calasparra,herbs, and usually shrimp stock as the liquid base.
This is making me want to buy a real paella pan.
Any hints on how best to make the starch from the rice crisp on the bottom of the pan?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by YO!!!

Any hints on how best to make the starch from the rice crisp on the bottom of the pan?

---

I wasn't the chef, but observationally, it seemed like at a certain point they stopped stirring and just used a rake-like tool (last photo on right) to move the top stuff around, leaving the rice underneath alone. Also there were ongoing debates about water - whether or not to add any at various points. Seemed like they used very little water in comparison to something like risotto. The pans are also a thin but heavy carbon steel, so heat transfer is pretty direct. And they get a lot of use, so they are thoroughly seasoned and only get a soapy rinse-off not a scrubbing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by YO!!!

Recently my market has started carrying Calasparra rice. So I gave it a try and really like the texture / flavor.
I make a basic seafood dish on the stove using the rice which becomes a quasi-paella.
Chicken,chorizo,peppers,onions,saffron,shrimp,clam s,baby octopus,squid,Calasparra,herbs, and usually shrimp stock as the liquid base.
This is making me want to buy a real paella pan.
Any hints on how best to make the starch from the rice crisp on the bottom of the pan?

---

Happens all on it's own if you used the right rice and did not drown it. I make mine on stovetop than transfer to a 300F oven for 15 mins to finish.

Oooohhh... man, just looking at that made me drool. I've been to the small villages in Spain where they make paellas big enough to feed the entire town. It's amazing watching them cook it in the gigantic pans. Even more amazing how they manage to nail the flavor and properly cook the rice at that scale. Throw in some vino and you're good to go.

Ever tried black paella?

I'm hungry now, and I really want paella. Great photos, great story. You've inspired a lot of jealousy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by -HvA-

Oooohhh... man, just looking at that made me drool. I've been to the small villages in Spain where they make paellas big enough to feed the entire town. It's amazing watching them cook it in the gigantic pans. Even more amazing how they manage to nail the flavor and properly cook the rice at that scale. Throw in some vino and you're good to go.

Ever tried black paella?

---

Paella + squid ink. I'm not a fan. Some of my pals go nuts for it. Traditional is my favorite.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Too Tall

Paella + squid ink. I'm not a fan. Some of my pals go nuts for it. Traditional is my favorite.

---

I'm a fan, plus there's not a lot of black foods out there, fun for the novelty of it. Traditional is best for sure though. If you go to a traditional paella restaurant you'll find all kinds of combinations, kinda like pizza. I've never cooked paella myself, but I remember the mom of a friend of mine using chicken stock and white wine to cook the rice in.

This got me hungry time for an early lunch, I have some brie at home, so brie+strawberry marmalade sandwich. Yum.

Posh Nosh...Paella

Posh Nosh - Paella (Episode 3) - YouTube

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stephenb

Posh Nosh...Paella

Posh Nosh - Paella (Episode 3) - YouTube

---

!!!! Yikes

Authentic Spanish Food from Spain at LaTienda.com

This is where I get my non-perishable supplies from.

Attachment 49874

This is what I play around with on occasion. Though it can be problematic when the minimum number of people necessary to consume all the food is 40.

Wow. I never even knew this existed. Thanks for sharing

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by YO!!!

Any hints on how best to make the starch from the rice crisp on the bottom of the pan?

---

You basically must not stir the rice once you add watter or stock. It´s not a easy squill, thoug! And adecuate amount of oil is also important....and practice, i´m afraid !

My brother in law and I make paella periodically over a charcoal grill. Apparently paella was traditionally made over fires and the charcoal is a better proxy than a gas fire. The fire starts off quite hot, to brown the chorizo, fish etc. in oil, then the rice goes in & gets coated, then the liquids (stock & crushed tomatoes). The fire cools gradually as the rice cooks, forming the delicious but not burnt crust of rice on the bottom.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dorman

Authentic Spanish Food from Spain at LaTienda.com

This is where I get my non-perishable supplies from.

---

We just got a box from La Tienda today. Present from my sister-in-law. Stove top paella pan and Calasparra rice. Going to have to start seasoning the pan and getting it ready.

BTW, my sister-in-law lives about 20 minutes from La Tienda's shipping warehouse. They just drive over!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Too Tall

What you described fits the basis for a future coffee table book that I'll never finish: "If you had a visitor coming to town and you were to prepare a meal for them that exemplified and showed your guest what values are embraced by your family what would that be?"

---

I was in Terrassa Spain and had Paella cooked for me by a family.
a few hours later on the train i began to pass out. i knew i had to get off. no idea where i was.
slipping into a semi-conscious state i was convinced i was going to die it was so bad. never before had anything like it. i crawled off the station into some bushy area... i recall telling someone that i thought i might need an ambulance. took an hour or so before i could walk again.

one plus it saves time in airport lounges as i can cross the blue oyster bar off.