Paella, a rice-based dish, is a real pride and symbol of Spanish cuisine. Everyone knows that Spain is the birthplace of paella, but if you look deeper, then the birthplace of paella is the Spanish province of Valencia, namely a place 12 kilometers south of the provincial capital near Lake Albufera, where rice has been grown in wetlands for many centuries. It is believed that spanish paella was first prepared here, in the village of El Palmar on the lake.

The history of the origin of the Spanish rice dish and the traditions of its consumption date back to the first millennium of our era. However, the Spanish paella, more similar to the modern one, appeared only in the 15th century. In the Middle Ages, it was cooked in a broth cooked on offal or chicken breast, and was referred to in old cookbooks as "Valencian rice". The variety of paella recipes originated in the Middle Ages.

Paella must be cooked on fire

For centuries, the preparation of paella has been a festive event. Despite the fact that today in the homeland of paella this dish is not among the delights, since ancient times a tradition has been formed of holding culinary holidays dedicated to this Spanish rice dish. In Spanish posters, they can be recognized as "Paelles al Carrer". These are traditional culinary fairs, unfolding on the streets of different cities, where all passers-by are treated to generous portions of paella for free. In some cities in Spain there are competitions for best cooking paella. For example, in Peniscola of the province of Castellón, a culinary duel is included in the program of the feast in honor of Saint Roque, and in the Valencian city of Sueca, the International Valencian Paella Competition is held annually.

It is important that Spanish customs provide for cooking paella on fire: during culinary fights and holidays, the dish is cooked in wide vats standing on a tagan - a stand with three legs. The fire adds a unique smoky flavor to the paella and reveals all the richness of the flavors of the spices added to it.

You can cook paella with a characteristic aroma using special devices which are often used in establishments Catering. Such devices are called “paellero”, and household gas is used for their operation.

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To answer the question of what paella is, you need to look into the depths of centuries, dig into the past and scoop up certain historical events.

Valencian culinary legend

In the 8th century, the Arabs came to the small Mediterranean fishing village of El Palmarraion. As soon as the Iberian Peninsula submitted to their power, there were direct indications of who was the boss in the house: the lands around the mentioned settlement were sown with rice - marshy and rich in water due to certain geographical features (the village is separated from the sea by a small sandy strip), they gave an excellent harvest. Over time, the plantations of this cereal have grown to the scale of almost the entire Valencia, Catalonia, Andalusia - today the volume of rice grown is more than enough for the whole of Spain, and it also remains for export (300 tons are sold to neighbors every year).

But this is today. And in the XIII century, when Christians finally managed to expel Muslims from the territory of present-day Valencia, a brutal war was declared on everything that did not fit into the standards of Spanish culture - including rice: the cultivation of cereals was banned. But then there was an unexpected failure: for several centuries people got used to rice, and it turned out to be impossible to refuse an accessible and convenient culture.

It was prepared often, a lot and everywhere. Those who were richer added fish and meat to rice, those who did not have the finances to buy good fish and large shrimp got mussels, snails, small fish and vegetables. This is how the famous paella was born - a dish that is served with equal regularity in expensive restaurants, and for dinner in poor fishing villages. A dish that can be cooked pathetically and luxuriously and modestly and ordinary. A dish that everyone likes because it can be adapted to suit every taste.

However, helpful Spaniards have come up with something interesting for lovers of beautiful legends. They say that paella was born during the Arab conquest - after the sumptuous dinners of the Moorish kings, there was a sea of ​​​​leftovers. Half-starved and simply impoverished, the Spaniards collected everything that was left, putting it in any way and anywhere. This is how paella appeared - a dish that combines everything that is possible: seafood with fish, meat, vegetables, and cereals.

However, if you do not like this version, there is another. According to her, in one of the fishing villages, an unlucky lover was waiting for a beautiful girl to visit. I waited and waited - and decided to cook something for the table. Without any special culinary skills, he simply mixed what he found in the pantry - and this is how paella appeared, "para ella", that is, "for her."

Well, if you are very picky, and none of the tales told impressed you, you can listen to the third one. They say that a long time ago in one of the Valencian towns some important person was expected to pay a visit. Poor residents took what they had to the central square - someone brought a ham, someone shared fish, someone found a chicken, tomatoes, beans. All the collected “wealth” was thrown into one huge frying pan, mixed with rice, seasoned with saffron and stewed. It turned out unexpectedly delicious!

What is paella: the most important

However, legends are legends, but the truth is most likely quite primitive and uncomplicated: when you don’t have extra finances, you cook from what you have. Here the peasants of Valencia were preparing, throwing on hastily in one pan what was found in the bins. In time, even when the need has moved aside, familiar dish left - now it is served in Michelin-starred restaurants, they are treated to guests, cooked for the family.

As in any folk recipe, it is almost impossible to derive a single formula for preparing paella. Ask the hostess roadside cafe where drivers passing by like to eat: she will tell you that a real paella is impossible without mussels. And the wife of the owner of the hotel where you stay will object that the main thing in paella is the combination of fish and chicken. Her neighbor will cook this dish with the obligatory green beans, and the neighbor's friend will buy fresh rabbit meat for paella at the market. And this is only within one city!

As often happens, after the ban on rice cultivation, paella became even more popular - we can say that by the beginning of the 19th century the dish had become a famous dish. business card region and remains so to this day.

So what is paella, besides being the symbol of Spain? Let's figure it out. The very name of the dish (Paella) means "frying pan" - it is cooked only in this dish, without alternatives. The basis of the dish is, of course, rice. The pan should be wide and flat: the wider the better, the layer of rice should not be higher than 2 cm. Depending on the region and the culinary preferences of a particular hostess, meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables are added to paella.

In the general variety of recipes, two factors remain unchanged: a frying pan, necessarily large and with a flat bottom, and rice. Everything else is pure creativity, although, of course, it is placed within certain limits.

What kind of rice should I take for paella?

Given the origin of the dish, it is reasonable to assume that the most successful varieties rice for cooking paella will be Spanish. It's about about round-grain varieties: a bomb is considered ideal, as an alternative, you can take arborio or carnaroli - with them, paella will also turn out soft and juicy.

Alas, the jasmine or basmati rice that we are used to, almost does not absorb moisture, for this reason you cannot cook porridge with it, that is, you cannot cook paella.
Long grain rice is generally not suitable for making paella.

Paella - a classic recipe with chicken and seafood

Did you know that real paella is a purely lunch dish? Traditionally, it is not cooked for dinner, but is served only during the day. If a restaurant serves paella after hours, it's more likely to be a low-end establishment or just a reheated meal.

Oh, and Spanish paella. If any recipe can be called more or less classic, then perhaps this is it. The dish is rich, bright in taste, very rich and widespread. Wider than any other paella variant.

Ingredients:
150 g of rice;
2-3 cm chili pepper;
3-4 tomatoes;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
1 onion;
3 art. l. olive oil;
200 g chorizo ​​sausage;
1 chicken breast;
300 g white sea ​​fish;
200 g shrimp;
300 g squid;
400 g fresh mussels in shells;
300 ml of broth;
200 ml dry white wine;
turmeric, salt, paprika to taste.

Heat well in a wide flat frying pan. olive oil. We throw finely chopped garlic, after a couple of seconds add onion cubes. Fry until transparent, add peeled and sliced ​​​​tomatoes, and then - thin rings of chili peppers.

diced chicken fillet put in a pan, cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring, then add chorizo ​​circles, pieces of fish, squid rings, unpeeled shrimp and mussels. Stew for 5-8 minutes, then pour rice, add salt, turmeric and paprika, mix, pour wine and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until liquid is completely boiled away.

Serve with lemons and fresh herbs.

Seafood paella

Did you know that the real seafood paella is made with unpeeled shells, mussels and other living creatures? We remember: initially it was only simple food ordinary people, no one was particularly perverted, preparing and cleaning small shrimp for a family of 10-15 people. Fast and affordable - this is the motto of a real paella, so seafood came to the table almost in its natural form.

If you, like the vast majority of ordinary people, do not have the opportunity to collect fresh mussels for dinner, go to the supermarket for a sea cocktail - of course, this is not the kind of paella that you can be proud of and brag about, but cooking it for dinner and enjoying the food is quite real.

Ingredients:
300-350 g of frozen sea cocktail;
250-300 g fillet of white sea fish (hake, pollock and the like);
2-3 tbsp. l. olive oil;
1 Bell pepper;
3-4 ripe tomatoes;
1 large onion;
2 cups of rice;
50 ml dry white wine;
2 cups of broth;
2 cloves of garlic;
saffron, salt, paprika, parsley to taste.

In a thick-bottomed frying pan, heat the oil, lightly fry the chopped small cubes garlic and onion and spread the frozen Seafood Cocktail. As soon as the seafood is defrosted and the juice is released, add the chopped fish, let it simmer a little. We spread peeled and sliced ​​​​tomatoes and peppers - stripes. After a minute, pour rice, add wine, mix, salt, add spices, and then pour in the broth. Cook over low heat until the liquid has completely evaporated, serve with herbs and vegetables.

Paella with chicken and chicken hearts

The mysterious day Thursday has long been known to us as a fish day, in Sweden, for example, pea soup and pancakes, and in Spain it's paella day. Traditionally, in wealthy families, this was a day off for the servants, so the nobility dined out. The chefs, of course, tried to attract customers, so they put all their talents into preparing the beloved paella. You don't have to wait until Thursday to make chicken rice and chicken hearts- you can't help but like this paella!

Ingredients:
400 g chicken fillet;
300 g chicken hearts;
700 ml of broth (chicken or vegetable);
250 g of rice;
3 art. l. olive oil;
4 tomatoes;
1 onion;
1 bell pepper;
100 g olives;
50 g of tomato sauce;
salt, pepper, spices to taste.

Pour oil into a heated frying pan, fry the chopped onion in cubes. We spread the chicken fillet, cut into cubes, and hearts, cut into circles. Lightly fry and add sweet peppers chopped in strips and tomatoes in slices, in which the skin was previously peeled. After 5-7 minutes, pour in the olives, add any tomato sauce, mix, spread rice, salt, add spices to taste. Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook until the liquid has evaporated.

Spanish paella with chicken and rabbit

Do you know what a soccarat is? Cooks whose skill reaches special heights can cook paella so that at the bottom, at the very bottom of the pan, a crispy brown crust of fried rice forms. It is a special pleasure to take a special spoon (yes, there is a separate spoon for soccarat!) and scrape off a delicacy ... You may not be able to cook paella with rabbit and chicken right away so that a slightly burnt crust forms in the pan, but the dish will still be wonderful!

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken meat(with bones);
1 kg rabbit (with bones);
4 tomatoes;
3-4 st. l. olive oil;
2 onions;
500 g of rice;
200 g of asparagus beans;
100 g of young green peas;
2.5-3 liters of water;
saffron, salt, pepper to taste.

In a wide frying pan, heat the oil, lightly fry the onion, spread the chopped portioned pieces chicken and rabbit, brown on all sides. Add peeled tomatoes, cut into 4-6 pieces. Salt, pour water and simmer until the meat is cooked - about 30-40 minutes. Remove the lid, add saffron, pepper, rice, mix, add water if necessary (it should cover the rice with a layer of about 1.5 cm). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has evaporated.

paella with bacon

Did you know that the most authentic restaurants in Catalonia will never serve paella with forks? Moreover, not ordinary stainless steel spoons will be brought to the pan with hot, steaming rice - it is believed that metal spoils the taste of food, oxidizing them. The appliances will be wooden! Try making paella with bacon and setting the table with wooden utensils - you will surely like it!

Ingredients:
500 g bacon;
5-6 large tomatoes;
1 sweet pepper;
1 large onion;
2 celery stalks;
200 g of asparagus beans;
1-2 cm chili pepper;
2.5 cups chicken broth;
1 glass of rice;
salt to taste.

In a heavy-bottomed pan, fry the bacon cut into thin strips or squares. As soon as it becomes golden and crispy, add the onion, chopped into cubes. After a minute, add the rest of the vegetables - celery, cut into small slices, asparagus beans in sticks of 2-3 cm, thin circles of chili peppers, sweet pepper strips, peeled and sliced ​​​​tomatoes. Fry until the vegetables are soft, add the rice, salt, add the broth. Reduce heat and cook until all liquid has evaporated. Everything can be served. In company with greens and salad from fresh vegetables- amazing!

Vegetarian paella

We have already agreed that the "correct" paella is prepared with unpeeled seafood, however, there is another version of paella - parellada. The dish was named after the well-known gourmet in Spain - Julie Parellada, who hated to get his hands dirty, but loved to eat deliciously, from his filing a “cleaned” recipe appeared. However, there is another way not to get your hands dirty - to cook a vegetarian vegetable paella without mussels, shrimp and bony fish.

Ingredients:
150 g of rice;
450 ml vegetable broth;
3 art. l. olive oil;
3 cloves of garlic;
4-5 large tomatoes;
1 small zucchini;
1 carrot;
1 onion;
100 g of green beans;
50 g canned or young green peas;
50 g canned sweet corn;
salt, turmeric, saffron, paprika to taste;
parsley, lemon for serving.

To prepare paella quickly and easily, first prepare everything you need: chop the garlic and onion, cut the carrots and zucchini into medium-sized cubes. Scald the tomatoes, peel and cut into slices. Prepare the spices you plan to add to the rice and vegetables. Strain the broth.

That's it, you can get a frying pan and heat the oil. As soon as the kitchen floats pleasant aroma, add the garlic, after a couple of seconds add the onion, fry over low heat until light golden. Add cubes of zucchini and carrots. Stirring, cook for 5-10 minutes, then add the tomatoes. After 2-3 minutes - asparagus beans, peas and corn. Stir, add rice, then salt and add spices. Stir again, then pour the broth into the pan and cook over low heat until the liquid has completely evaporated.

Serve with herbs and lemon wedges.

1. Broccoli and cauliflower- Not traditional vegetables for paella, but quite interesting.
2. Quinoa - another grain will make paella richer and more original.
3. Celery root is so fragrant that it just asks for a pot!
4. Mushrooms - unexpectedly in paella format, but very appropriate.
5. Eggplant? Why not?
6. Pork? Beef? This, of course, is not at all about the traditional paella - even with all its regional frills, however, this also happens. Why not?
7. Sausages are, of course, not chorizo ​​at all, however, they are very “in the spirit”: cheap, cheerful and folk-style.
8. Crab sticks. Doubtfully useful, but budget. Helps out sometimes.
9. Chickpeas are the closest relative of beans and peas, so, in general, nothing supernatural, but in a new way.
10. Banana - very non-standard, but very organic. No wonder that half of South American cuisine is built on a combination of rice and bananas!

At the beginning of autumn, the annual Paella Festival takes place in Valencia - the most talented chefs cook folk dish, and crowds of locals and tourists eat them with pleasure. Improve, grow above yourself, compose own recipe paella - and who knows, maybe in a few years we will meet you at the festival, and you will treat us to the most incredible paella, juicy and very tasty!

Without a doubt, one of the most famous and beloved in the world culinary masterpieces is paella, a Spanish rice dish with seafood or various types meat and vegetables.

Paella is considered a cult food by the Spaniards. Bright and sunny, sparkling with glossy mussel shells and colored with scarlet tomatoes, it adorns family dinners and lavish celebrations. Everything you need to know about one of the main Spain, you will find in this article.

When and where was paella invented?

Paella dates back to the 15th century and comes from the east coast of the country, from the region of Valencia. In the swampy fields near Lake Albufera, the Spaniards cultivated rice for centuries, and it was their staple food in the Middle Ages.

A variant of the modern paella was invented here in the 19th century - workers in the fields cooked rice for lunch, adding everything they could find: snails and vegetables. Later, they began to add a rabbit or a duck to it, and due to its proximity to the sea, it quickly appeared fish variant dishes.

How did the name "paella" come about? Most likely, from the word patella (the frying pan in which it is cooked). But there is also a version that, in Arabic, the name means “leftovers”, because the recipe contains, at first glance, incompatible products.

Types of paella

Paella recipes differ from each other in every region of Spain. In some, rice is fried in oil, in others, peas are added and meat sausages- there are about 300 variations in total.

Nevertheless, there are only three main types of paella in Spain, all others are improvisations on the theme of this dish.

Raella valenciana. Traditionally consists of rice, vegetables, rabbit or chicken, green beans and spices.

paella de marisco. In the recipe: rice, fish and seafood (squid, shrimp, mussels, octopus).

Paella mixta. It combines vegetables, meat and seafood in various proportions.

All types of paella are seasoned with saffron - it is he who gives the dish such a rich flavor. yellow- and cook only for.

How Spanish paella is made

And now a little about the basic principles of making paella. The main thing in this famous dish is a wide and flat frying pan with two handles: it is cooked in it, and then served on the table. The peculiarity of this dish is that all the ingredients are placed in one layer and the water evaporates quickly and evenly, preventing the rice from being boiled.

Local customs include the preparation of paella on open fire. It saturates the dish with the aroma of smoke and reveals the taste of the added ones. First, the fire is made very hot to brown the meat, then it is reduced to simmer the rice.

Main Components Spanish paella invariable: rice, vegetables, meat or seafood. Special attention pay attention to the quality of rice: it should be round, fine-grained, capable of both absorbing liquid and maintaining its structure ( suitable variety- bomba).

First, the “base” is prepared - for example, garlic is fried in olive oil, then it is caught, shrimp are fried, then they are replaced with meat and vegetables, poured with water. The gurgling mixture is sprinkled crosswise with two lanes of rice and carefully distributed over the entire diameter of the pan, a tiny pinch of saffron is added. Seafood is added to rice shortly before the dish is ready.

The fire should be strong for the first 10 minutes, then it is reduced so that the water can evaporate. But when the rice is ready, the fire again needs to be made maximum for about a minute - then a signature crust of fried rice (socarrat) is formed at the bottom of the pan. Rice should not be burnt, namely fried - this is the most delicious part of the dish for the Spaniards. Leaving it uneaten in Spain is considered unacceptable.

Mastery in the preparation of Spanish paella is to observe ideal proportions in the amount of rice and liquid and do not miss the moment when the cereal has already absorbed the taste and aroma, but has not yet had time to boil.

At all times, paella has performed a unifying function for the Spanish people, and the country still has a tradition of eating it all together from one pan and, better, with wooden spoons. However, this does not mean at all that the restaurant will not offer you a plate, knife and fork. The main thing is to remember that all seafood in paella is cooked unpeeled, it is customary to move them to the edge of the dish and eat at the very end, peeling them yourself, with your hands. And paella in Spain is never served for dinner - it is exclusively a daily dish.

The Spaniards sometimes cook the so-called "lazy" paella, or parellada. They say that it got its name in honor of Julie Parellada, a gourmet from Barcelona who did not like to get his hands dirty. All seafood in this paella is peeled.

Where to try paella in Spain

Paella can be found anywhere in Spain, but in many places it is often prepared from a semi-finished product. In such establishments, they put a Paellador sign on the tables. In this case, the dish is often cheaper, but it will not give an idea of ​​​​the taste of real Spanish paella.

Important: in good location where paella is served, sangria should not be on the menu, since the dish is washed down only with dry wine (avoid cafes with inviting inscriptions “paella + sangria”).

Three places in Madrid with real paella

Socarratt (Calle San Marcos, 2)

Inexpensive cafe for every day, where everything is run by two chefs from Valencia. In addition to the traditional paella valenciana with chicken, rabbit, artichokes and green beans, there is a large selection of Spanish rice dishes, including vegetarian ones. A portion of paella costs 8-9 €.

La Baracca (Calle de la Reina, 29)

Family restaurant classic Spanish cuisine located in the city center. There are always a lot of tourists and locals who come back here again for delicious rice. Paella valenciana costs 15.70 €, paella mixed with seafood, chicken and pork - 17 €.

Casa de Valencia (Paseo Pintor Rosales, 58)

One of the most popular places in Madrid for authentic cuisine. The menu has an extensive selection of traditional Spanish dishes, including the classic Valencian paella (it costs 15.75 €), vegetable (14.50 €), and seafood paella (18.75 €).

How much does paella cost in spain

It remains to figure out how much paella costs if you cook it yourself in Spain. This question is especially relevant for those who rent an apartment or apartments in the country and are not averse to testing their culinary skills.

For example, consider the cost of paella products from the Mercadona supermarket:

• Arroz Redonzo rice (1kg) – €0.95;
• spices Preparado paella - 2.10 €;
• a set of seafood (clams, mussels, squid, shrimps) - 4.95 €;
• fish broth (1 liter) - 2.50 €.

Total - 10.50 € for basic products.

In large Spanish stores they sell ready-made paella. A serving (200 g) costs 3.20 €. In restaurants, the price of a meal per person is from 10 to 20 €.

Everyone in Spain knows what paella is. This is a dish that unites people from the moment of preparation to the joint meal at a large table. Don't miss the opportunity to taste real paella - its taste will become an unforgettable memory of Spain for a long time.

Paella- This is a national Spanish (particularly Valencian) dish, which is prepared on the basis of rice tinted with saffron with the addition of olive oil. In addition, paella may contain seafood, vegetable crops, sausage, chicken, vegetables, legumes, herbs, spices and other products.

The popularity of this dish today is facilitated by the many variations in ingredients that are adapted to different regions of Spanish cuisine. As you know, there are a considerable number of recipes for making paella (according to the Spaniards themselves, there are more than three hundred of them).

It should be noted that most people who are not Spaniards call paella the national Spanish dish, while the majority of the inhabitants of Spain call this dish exclusively Valencian.

Today, it is extremely rare in Spanish catering establishments not to offer you paella, and over the past century, the popularity of this dish has grown so much that it can be tasted in almost all European restaurants. The result of the increased interest in paella was the birth all sorts of options cooking this dish. For example, from the original Valencian recipe to varieties such as paella de marisco (seafood paella), paella mixta (mixed paella) and many others.

The name of this famous dish originates from the word "paella", which in the Valencian language means "frying pan" (in turn, it comes from the Latin word "patella"). By the way, "paella" has related words: Castilian "padilla" - a small oven, French "poele" - a frying pan, oven and Italian "padella" - a frying pan.

The inhabitants of Valencia are accustomed to using the word paella perfectly for all kinds of pots, including special utensils for making paella. However, in most of Spain and throughout Latin America, the term "paellera" is more commonly used for this purpose. Traditionally p aelleras are round shape with two handles, they are small and made of polished steel.

Among the numerous types of paella, in addition to the classic one, which includes rice, several varieties of fish and seafood, chicken, white wine, spices and herbs, others stand out. For example, for some regions of Spain, the preparation of paella from beans is typical.

Paella Valenciana includes white rice, green vegetables, meat (chicken, rabbit, duck), special snails, beans and seasonings. The meat and snails in the seafood paella are replaced with seafood, respectively, and it also lacks vegetables and beans.

Most paella chefs use a special kind of rice called calasparra or bomba. In addition, other key components of paella are saffron and quality oil olive.

An interesting version of paella - "black rice" - is prepared with cuttlefish meat, and the rich black color ready meal achieved through the use of "ink" secreted by this cephalopod.

Rice with a crust is used to prepare paella called "rice with a crust", rice, saffron, chicken broth, chicken, tomatoes, garlic, black and white sausage, eggs and sausages.

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Lovers of delicious food will be interested in an entertaining story about famous dish Spanish cuisine - paella. If you are in your kitchen not only to look into the refrigerator, but also to cook something new, please appetizing dish yourself and your family, then you should definitely take note. So, what is paella, what is the history of its origin, how do the Spaniards treat it? How many varieties of this national dish are there?

Where does paella come from?

Many uninitiated inhabitants who have heard this name consider it exclusively Spanish food, although not the whole country, but only Valencia, should be thanked for the appearance of paella - it was in this Spanish city that they began to cook rice, tinting it with saffron and adding olive oil. Already in those days, they tried to experiment with the ingredients of paella, including chicken meat in the dish, various vegetables and seafood. The dish was served on March 19, when St. Joseph's Day or San Jose (Dia de San Jose) was celebrated, and this tradition is preserved in our time, while paella is prepared not only on the holiday, but also on other days. For example, on Sundays, gathering family members at the table and inviting guests. Well, in the tourist areas, almost every restaurant you meet is ready to feed you with paella.

Family meeting with paella

First paella

Probably every resident of Spain knows how to cook paella from an early age. Not a single city holiday, especially in Valencia, is complete without paella being prepared right on its streets as the main treat, symbolizing Spanish cuisine. One of the first references to the preparation of this dish refers to the region of Lake Albufera (Albufera), located south of Valencia, where rice has been cultivated for centuries. They say that it was on the banks of the Albufera, in the village of El Palmar, that the first paella was once cooked.

Leftovers or no leftovers?

Initially, eating paella was common only in the lower strata of society. There is an interesting version according to which the origin of the word itself is attributed to the Arabic language, where it means "leftovers", since among Arab sailors it was not considered shameful to combine the leftovers of a previous meal into a new dish. Still, how can you throw away food that has not been eaten at the master's table! It’s better to “conjure” over it a little more and feed a bunch of hungry sailors.

About the meaning of the word "paella"

Officially, it is customary to consider the origin of the word from the Latin concept patella, which means "frying pan". In Valencian, "frying pan" sounds like paella - close in meaning to the Castilian concept of padilla ( small oven), Italian padella (frying pan), French poêle (frying pan, oven), Polish patelnia (frying pan). Among the Valencians, in general, this word refers to all types of pots, including dishes intended for cooking paella.

How paella is prepared

by the most famous recipes Three varieties are considered to be very popular, and each of them uses its own composition of ingredients:

• Paella Valenciana- Paella Valenciana with chicken, rabbit, legumes and vegetables.
• paella de marisco- paella with seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, etc.).
• paella mixta- paella mix with different ingredients.

If you are going to cook a kind of paella with seafood and black rice, then you cannot do without cuttlefish ink (it is they that give the rice color), which are freely sold in many Spanish and some large Russian stores. Of course, these are just examples of the main types, but in any paella, they remain unchanged. general principles cooking dishes, which will be discussed below.

General principles for preparing paella

So, the main thing is to take into account the most basic principles so that paella is appetizing and tasty.

The wide variety of ingredients used in the preparation of paella makes this dish very popular. In different regions, they adapt in their own way, which serves to create new recipes, which, according to the Spaniards, there are more than three hundred. If speak about classic recipe paella, then it traditionally uses rice, several types of fish, seafood. In addition to these ingredients, it is also cooked with chicken, spices, herbs and white wine. There are regions where Spanish paella, in the absence of rice, is made from beans. In any case, it is not dietary at all, but nutritious and very tasty dish, with the help of which it is easy to satisfy the ensuing hunger.

You hardly find many Spanish restaurants where this dish is not on the menu. I will say more - because of its popularity, paella is found in almost all self-respecting European restaurants and everyone cooks it in their own way, experimenting with varieties of all its components.

We specifically do not write any one specific paella recipe because the choice is too large and depends solely on your preferences. BUT there will be a video at the end of the article preparations with description cooking process of paella with seafood- so it will be clearer.

In the future, we plan to visit the Spaniards and film the entire cooking process, making a separate article about it (with all the chef's secrets). So stay in touch and stay tuned, we will notify you when such an article is released in the update mailing list.

We show imagination

If we talk about huge number paella recipes in the national cuisine of Spain, then its main ingredients must remain unchanged. Everything else is a matter of taste and imagination. Here, for example, according to the recipe for "Rice with a crust", black pudding is an obligatory ingredient.

There are recipes with spicy Spanish pork sausage chorizo, which they like to add to paella. If you want, you can use other sausages and sausages, eggs, mussels or shrimp, meatballs and crumb white bread, adding sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic, fresh herbs, lemon slices and green pea, wine and broth. The main thing is that the combination of products is appetizing in appearance and taste. With the advent of multicookers, cooking paella has become much easier and many housewives, having one of the recipes on hand, do an excellent job of preparing this dish in their kitchen.

Paella analogues in other countries

IN Eastern countries can be considered an analogue of paella pilaf, in Italy - risotto(risotto), and the Creoles prepare a similar dish called jambalaya(jambalaya). Even among Valencian dishes there is something similar to paella - fideua(fideua). But instead of rice, vermicelli is put in it, and the appearance of such a dish is attributed to the cook of a fishing boat, Juan Batista Pascual. According to rumors, sailors did not appreciate such an innovation in the menu, but over time, the dish gained its popularity. Now there is even an annual competition, which is held in one of the cities of the autonomy of Grandia to prepare the best fideua.

Summarizing

If you don't have a Spanish paella cookbook handy, you can find the right one for you on the Internet. You can also add your own imagination to the cooking principles described above, and then the dish will acquire its own unique flavor. As you can see, in order to taste paella, it is not at all necessary to leave the confines of your own kitchen. But, if you are on holiday in Spain, you can hardly resist stopping by one of the many local restaurants where you will be served a real Spanish dish.

By the way, red wine or sangria is perfect for paella, which you can cook according to our favorite recipe described.

It should be remembered that in restaurants paella is prepared for several people at once (usually for two or four), and not in portions. It is better to order it in the company of friends or family. If somewhere they offer a portion for one, then most likely the paella was cooked earlier (and it is not known how), frozen and will simply be warmed up - this is not at all the same.

Finally, we offer you classic seafood paella recipe video by which even beginners can understand the whole process and repeat at home