Paella

August 21, 2023
Allibhoy (Spanish Made Simple), owner of the London restaurant Tapas Revolution, shares his “love affair” with Spain’s national dish in this easy-to-use guide to paella perfection. He opens with descriptions of family trips to Valencia and a history of the dish’s origins, painting a vivid portrait of traditional “paella culture.” A section dubbed “The Masters Guide” details staple ingredients (including sweet smoked paprika, saffron, and dried nora peppers), outlines the “four key elements” (the base, the stock, the cooking of the rice, and the socarrat, or the crunchy bottom layer of fried rice) to any successful paella, and explains how to select the proper heat source and pan to assure the best texture. After instructions for Paella Valencia, “the original and the best,” subsequent recipes are organized into meat, seafood, and vegetable variations. Arroz a la ampurdanesa combines sausage, rabbit, and mushrooms. For a quicker take, arroz de salmon y coliflor creates a moist salmon and cauliflower paella and cooks for just 35 minutes. Paella verde riffs on green juice for a vegan variation. While heavy on technique, this definitive how-to cookbook still encourages home chefs to get creative. The result is certain to bring friends and family together for their own Spanish-style feast.