Spanish

Paella Valenciana

Medium · 1 hr

Serves 6SpanishDairy-freeNut-freeGluten-free

Wide-pan rice with saffron, chicken, rabbit and green beans. The socarrat crust at the bottom is the prize.

1 hrTotal time

6Serves

4Steps

SpanishCuisine

Method

Prep
Bloom saffron
Steep saffron in warm stock for 10 minutes.
Why: Blooming releases colour and aroma.
Cook from here
Prep
Brown chicken
Brown chicken in olive oil in a wide paella pan. Remove and set aside.
Why: Browning adds depth to the rice.
Cook from here
Finish
Build sofrito
Sauté pepper, beans, garlic and grated tomato until thick. Stir in paprika and rice to coat.
Why: Toasting rice helps it absorb flavour.
Cook from here
Finish
Simmer to socarrat
Add saffron stock and chicken. Simmer without stirring until rice is tender and a crust forms, about 18 minutes.
Why: No stirring is what creates the socarrat.
Cook from here

Listen for a faint crackle in the last 2 minutes — that's the socarrat forming.

Prep
Bloom saffron
Steep saffron in warm stock for 10 minutes.
Why: Blooming releases colour and aroma.
Cook from here
Prep
Brown chicken
Brown chicken in olive oil in a wide paella pan. Remove and set aside.
Why: Browning adds depth to the rice.
Cook from here
Finish
Build sofrito
Sauté pepper, beans, garlic and grated tomato until thick. Stir in paprika and rice to coat.
Why: Toasting rice helps it absorb flavour.
Cook from here
Finish
Simmer to socarrat
Add saffron stock and chicken. Simmer without stirring until rice is tender and a crust forms, about 18 minutes.
Why: No stirring is what creates the socarrat.
Cook from here