Comments on: A Casual Paella Dinner

By: Oscar Mieses

Oscar Mieses — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:38:34 +0000

Hi:
I am looking for Manila Green Plantain varieties, where and how I can get it.

Thanks in advance,
Oscar Mieses

By: kurzhaar

kurzhaar — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:07:41 +0000

Paella is a speciality of mine–I generally tend to a pretty traditional version with rabbit and green beans. In season, fresh fava beans, quail, or pheasant make their way in. Occasionally I will do a seafood version. Saffron threads are of course a must. I make a sofrito with grated tomato, onion, and garlic, and always a whole head of garlic gracing the middle of the pan. My pans are all traditional carbon steel, in various sizes. The largest one just fits on my giant Weber grill. But I know friends who do paella for dozens of guests (I think their largest pan is about five feet across…they cook over an open fire). I use foil, or for the smaller pans a big wok cover that fits perfectly. One trick to a good paella is to listen as the rice cooks for that crackling that tells you the socarrat is forming…the best part of a paella!

By: Marketman

Marketman — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:07:17 +0000

sometime lurker, yes, I use a lot of saffron in the sofritto…

By: sometime_lurker

sometime_lurker — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:50:31 +0000

whoa… my salivary glands went berserk with that description, MM! That and Burnt Lumpia’s entry together, agh. Hold on, need to massage my jaw.

Btw, do I need to have saffron to create your red paellas? I had a real decent paella recently in a restau and whilst having it, I was trying to identify most of the flavors that are popping, but can’t figure out some. Huh. Oh and I don’t have the paella pan as well. Sad.

By: Marketman

Marketman — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:43:51 +0000

sometime lurker, good catch! It’s a bowl of aioli, or garlicky mayonnaise that is a PERFECT condiment to mix into the black or squid ink paella. Arooz negro with aioli and lemon juice is a match made in paella heaven. :)

By: sometime_lurker

sometime_lurker — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:36:59 +0000

Wondering about that white thingy in a bowl beside the pans.
Is that sour cream? Supposed to be served with the paella?
pardon the ignorance…

By: nina

nina — Sun, 03 May 2009 17:46:18 +0000

@Tok/MM,
I am lucky to have colleagues/clients who are very professional. Pero pag pinoy org/event, hay naku, wag ka na umasa na magsimula on time.

By: quiapo

quiapo — Sun, 03 May 2009 09:40:10 +0000

An interesting link, thanks Apicio. I think this is a reference to misguided attempts to use paprika instead of Saffron; there is some flavour overlap as you know; I use paprika in paella if I dont get a proper chorizo handy that day. I then use whatever salami I have and augment its flavour with paprika. It seems to work alright, perhaps it is a question of degree of blending.

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:14:49 +0000

Apicio, VERY INTERESTING. I make a sofritto with a lot of saffron. And sometimes add paprika to the chicken I am sauteeing in the paella pan… hmmm. Maybe I used axe the paprika next time, though it is in the chorizo as well. Thanks for the link…

By: Apicio

Apicio — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:05:51 +0000

May I point out something that stopped me in my track about using Spanish paprika with saffron in this recipe from my favorite saffron supplier. It is the last sentence of the instructions right above the photo of shrimps.

https://www.saffron.com/recipes.html