“You had me at Paella”
Hello my Foodie Friends!
This Saturday is Valentine’s Day. Are you looking for a romantic dish to make for Valentine’s Day? Consider making Spanish Paella and have the perfect romantic dinner. Paella is a Spanish dish of rice, saffron, seafood, chicken, and other items you may consider in your creation. It is served in a large shallow pan (paella pan). The dish is filled with rich flavor and provides the warmth of rice in it. Paella is a wonderful dish to make with Valentine’s Day being a perfect excuse for a cooking adventure at home.
First, start with a good paella pan—one that’s wide and shallow—to ensure even cooking and the development of the coveted socarrat, the crispy rice crust at the bottom. You have probably seen paella pans before: a paella pan is basically a large, round, shallow pan with slanting sides that curl a bit around the edge, and with two curved handles set symmetrically opposite each other. Pretty simple, however, there is a bit more to paella pans than meets the eye, because technology, even for this “simple” pan, plays an important role.
Paella pans are designed to transmit heat rapidly and cool off quickly when the heat is off, and the kind of metal they’re made of plays a crucial role to achieve this. The size of the paella is an important factor, too. It is worth noting that the depth of the finished dish shouldn’t be more than one to one and a half inches, and therefore the size of the paella pan you use will depend on the number of people that will eat it.
The paella pan is not completely flat, but slightly concave at the bottom. To help the pan maintain this shape, the whole bottom of the pan is pricked with small dimples. Because of the carbon steel material it is made of, this kind of paella pan has a tendency to oxidize, and therefore requires some extra care after each use, as well as an initial priming after purchase. If you decide to purchase this kind of paella, before the first use you’ll have to fill it with soapy water and a spoonful of salt and boil the liquid for a few minutes. After rinsing and drying it well, pour a few drops of olive oil and, with a paper towel, coat the inner bottom and sides of the pan with a thin layer—if you poured a bit too much oil, use another paper towel to remove the excess. After each use after that, and for the lifespan of the pan, clean it by hand like you’d do any other pan, dry well with a cloth, and prime with oil the same way, coating with a very thin layer, before storing the pan. This process, which seems a bit cumbersome at first, will become part of the paella making process in no time, and you’ll do it without even thinking.
There’s something romantic about sharing paella. Maybe it’s the luxury of eating chicken, shrimp, chorizo, and mussels, all in one dish. Maybe it’s the velvety golden saffron-scented rice and vegetables, all intermingled together. Whatever it is, there’s something special about sharing a dinner of paella, Spanish wine, and some candlelight with your love. Enjoy this on a cold winter’s night.
At Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs, we have items that can assist with making your Valentine’s Dinner. Finish with something sweet and a goodnight kiss. Show your love through the foods you cook. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.
Take Care, John & Paula
