Paella is the national Spanish dish. Paella - Spanish dish of sunshine

When visiting a country, you want to get to know its culture, get acquainted with the sights, enjoy communication with people and be sure to visit a cafe or restaurant where local chefs cook excellently.
Russians will traditionally offer their guests rich cabbage soup, Romanians - sarmale, Croats - Pag cheese, Italians - pizza. While in Austria, you need to taste the Wiener schnitzel, and the Spanish cuisine is proud of its dishes, which are distinguished by a combination of tastes. Tapas, tortilla espagnola, gazpacho, gambas ahijo are tried by all tourists. Mediterranean cuisine will remain undiscovered for the traveler if he does not know what paella is. There are legends about the most delicious national dish. They are also worth exploring.

Origin of the dish

The symbol of Spain, its pride is the appetizing paella, made from the most delicious products grown on sunny land. Rice leaves the base of the dish. Other products are perfectly combined with it, but the addition of saffron and olive oil is a must.
It is no coincidence that the dish got its big name paella. It was originally prepared in a dish called patella by the Spaniards. This is a deep frying pan made of polished steel with two handles. The Poles call this pan patelnia, the Italians padella, and the French poêle. Previously, the delicacy was cooked not on stoves, but right in the yards, on a fire. Such a dish smelled of freshness, smoke. It was always served with onions instead of bread.
Valencia is considered the small birthplace of paella, where since the first millennium, rice has been cooked in Valencian style. Then the dish was completely different from the modern one. Rice was cooked in chicken broth, often poultry offal was added there. In the Middle Ages, a huge number of options for preparing paella appeared.

Continuation of traditions

Over time, the dish has gained such popularity that it has become festive. Fairs were held periodically in all cities. A meal of rice was being prepared right on the fire on the street. They handed out food for free, thereby attracting buyers to their ranks. The tradition of holding paella holidays, organizing competitions for the best cooking of the dish has been preserved. You can try paella, saturated with the aroma of smoke, cooked on fire, even now, when you get to the national holidays.
In many provinces of Spain, the tradition has remained - to serve paella to the table on Sunday. The celebration of St. Joseph's Day - March 19 is not complete without a rice masterpiece.
Types of paella
Rice is considered the main ingredient in paella. Other components are added to it, changing the composition of the dish. The Spaniards claim that at least 300 recipes for preparing national food will be found in the country, and every time its taste will be excellent.
The classification of species is conditional, since the set of products is constantly changing. And yet paella happens:
with black rice;
with seafood;
in Valencian;
with a crust;
mix (different components).
The classic paella, which came from Valencia, besides white rice, must include many more ingredients: meat (chicken or rabbit), seafood or fish, saffron, herbs and vegetables, beans, spices and olive oil. It is not surprising if in some regions of Spain they offer a dish not based on rice, but from beans. These options are also acceptable.

Paella analogues

Rice is adored in many countries, so paella has many analogues that are prepared according to similar recipes, but have different names.
Country, region Dish How to cook
Eastern countries Pilaf Meat and vegetables are added to the rice, cooked in a cauldron.
Italy Risotto Prepared in any pan, rice is often stirred, so in the end it resembles liquid rice porridge.
Southeast America Jambalaya Cooked in a saucepan with a large amount of liquid, which gradually evaporates as the rice boils. Instead of meat, sausages can be added.

Cooking principles

The Spaniards say that they can make paella at home with any food, as long as there is rice left in the kitchen. However, we should follow some rules in order not to spoil the national dish of Valencia, but to get it as tasty as possible:
1. Rice must be the best. Spaniards prefer two varieties: Bomba or Calasparra.
2. Real saffron is soaked in boiling water before use.
3. Olive oil cannot be replaced by anything.
4. It is better to cook on fire, but if it is not possible, then on the stove, but always in a large frying pan, at least 5-6 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.

For foreigners, Spanish paella is one of the symbols of this country, just like flamenco or bullfighting. When it comes to the cuisine of Spain, then, probably, this dish will come to mind first.

For foreigners, Spanish paella is one of the symbols of this country, just like flamenco or bullfighting. When it comes to the cuisine of Spain, then, probably, this dish will come to mind first. But this is a side view. How do Spaniards feel about paella? Just like the Italians - to pasta: there are many excellent dishes, but there is paella. And this is serious. The Spaniards are ready to argue until they are hoarse about new recipes and methods of preparing this dish and complain that paella is "depersonalized", spreading around the world. Frozen convenience foods for the microwave? This is absolutely impossible! Paella is considered a national treasure that must be carefully preserved ...

In fact, paella is not a dish at all, it is a whole group of dishes that are united only by rice, olive oil and saffron. And, of course, how to cook rice. It is believed that there are over three hundred different recipes for paella. In reality, there are many more of them - just as every Russian housewife has a "secret" borscht recipe inherited from her grandmother, so the Spanish macho (and paella is traditionally prepared by men) has its own culinary secret.

And this dish is not Spanish at all! It is Valencian, and this is recognized even by residents of other regions. The Arabs, who owned the Iberian Peninsula for many centuries, instilled in the locals the culture of rice growing and rice eating. The climate of Valencia is best suited for rice cultivation, which is why paella originated here.

Of course, there are several different legends about this. The "romantic" legend tells of a fisherman who spent time waiting for his beloved - he mixed everything he found in his kitchen and seasoned it with rice. Beloved appreciated the results of the culinary experiment!

The "historical" legend tells how some important person came to Valencia (options: the Roman emperor, the Spanish king, the bishop, and so on - up to Napoleon!) In order to properly show hospitality and treat the visitor to glory, the inhabitants gathered all their supplies and prepared a new dish.

A "practical" legend assures that paella was invented by Christian servants of the Moorish rulers, bringing home the remnants of their master's feasts, or poor fishermen, combining the remnants of their catches with rice.

The true date of paella's appearance is unknown, but it has been featured in Spanish cookbooks since the 18th century.

Nowadays, paella can be ordered in almost every restaurant in Spain, but, unfortunately, it is not so easy to find a tasty dish - it has been tested on our own experience! The influx of multilingual tourists who decided to join the "real Spanish cuisine" led to the fact that the restaurant owners began to frankly hack. Alas, too often, under the guise of paella, you will be served "poorly cooked pilaf", where the rice will turn out to be either too tough or look like porridge, the chicken will look like a sole, and the mussel shells will turn out to be empty ...

A few tips for those wishing to avoid such disappointment.

Where and when is there? The universal rule - do not order this dish in beach restaurants and near popular tourist attractions! And you definitely shouldn't take paella as part of the "menu del dia" - they will bring the dish to you in a few minutes, which can only mean that it was cooked a long time ago, but they just warmed it up for you ... In general, the further you move away from the tourist area, the more chances to taste authentic paella. Be careful: in a traditional restaurant, paella is never served for dinner - it is a daily dish. And it’s also not customary to cook it for one, so it’s better to taste paella in a company. For many years, the traditional "pael day" in Spain was Thursday, when the dish was prepared in all local "catering". They explain it in different ways. Someone says that everything started from the time when Thursday was the day off for the Spanish maids, so on this day the family dined out. And some believe that the fishermen who went to sea on Monday returned on Wednesday, and the next day a fresh catch was delivered to the restaurants.

And on Sunday it is customary to cook paella at home. Outdoors and on an open fire - for all family and friends, making cooking and eating a real holiday. It is believed that the joint eating of paella unites and brings together. I willingly believe - do not quarrel over delicious, lovingly prepared food? Of course, the best way to taste paella is this way... On big holidays, this dish is prepared for the whole town - in giant pans, so that there is enough for everyone. In the Valencian region, an obligatory part of the celebration of Saint Joseph's Day (March 19th) is the preparation of a huge paella. And in 2001, near Madrid, they made a giant paella for 100,000 people!

How and with what?

The simplest answer to this question is with pleasure (if the paella is good, of course)! However, there are some subtleties that I want to talk about.

There are two ways to serve paella - traditional and modern.

According to the classics, paella is eaten directly from the pan, all together - each from its own "sector". Most traditionally - with wooden spoons, since (according to the assurance of culinary purists) metal devices spoil the taste. But nowadays, as a rule, both plates and cutlery are served. It is customary to put unpeeled mussels and shrimps on the edge of a plate or pan, and eat them at the end with your hands. It is also permissible to separate the chicken and meat from the bones with your hands. There is also a "lazy paella" (for lazy eaters, not cooks), where all seafood is pre-cleaned. Another rule is to eat up the "burnt" rice crust (called "sokorrat") at the bottom of the pan. Leaving her is to offend the chef and not appreciate the dish!

It is customary to drink paella with dry wine, depending on the type of dish, it can be white, red and pink. But not sangria! In the "right" paella restaurants, sangria is not even on the menu!

Which paella to choose? This is probably the most difficult question ... As I said, there are many types of this dish.

The composition of meat paella (paella de carne) can include chicken, duck, rabbit, pork, jamon and even spicy chorizo ​​sausage and sausages. I personally have not seen beef and lamb in paella, but I can well admit that somewhere these types of meat are also used. Sometimes a hard-boiled egg is also added. Such paella is prepared both in water and in broth.

Seafood paella (paella marinera or paella de marisco) consists of shrimp and squid of various sizes, octopus, cuttlefish, mussels and other shells. There are also exquisite lobsters, lobsters, crabs. To Valencian paella paella valenciana) put snails. Seafood is often combined with fish of different types, there are also purely fish options - paella de pescado. You can cook these types of paella on water, fish broth and dry white wine. A special type of paella is called "black rice" (arroz negro) - it is cooked with cuttlefish, the ink of which is used to color the dish.

The choice of vegetables for paella is very wide - you can use sweet peppers, zucchini, artichokes, green beans, beans, carrots, green peas, olives and even mushrooms. Tomatoes are a must! But as for onions and garlic, the controversy does not subside - there are both zealous supporters of the use of these vegetables and ardent opponents ... Vegetables in various combinations can be included in any type of paella, but there are also purely vegetarian options for the dish ( paella de verduras or paella vegetariana). Of the spices and seasonings, salt (preferably large sea salt) and saffron (only natural!) Are obligatory - about a stamen per serving. Paella is often flavored with ground paprika and rosemary. And it is customary to serve lemon to the finished dish.

The most famous mixed paella (paella mixta), which is most often offered to tourists. The most familiar combination is chicken and seafood with vegetables, although more exotic options can be found. The main debate about paella is just about what and with what it is permissible to mix. As elsewhere, there are "conservatives" who stand for traditional food pairings and "innovators" who advocate creative freedom. In general, this dish is a paradise for lovers of culinary experiments. There are so many variations of paella that there is simply no "real" or "correct" one! There is only delicious and tasteless ... Invent your own paella - what could be more interesting?

So how do you make paella? Despite the scope for culinary imagination, there are several rules that must be followed, no matter what paella you cook.

First of all, we choose dishes. The wide and shallow pan with two handles we need is called paella or paella (the dish got its name from it, and not vice versa!) Its diameter varies from 20 cm to a meter. Since the layer of rice should not exceed two centimeters, the diameter is calculated according to the number of eaters. Cast iron paellas are considered the best, for cleaning which they never use detergents.

It is very important to ensure that the food being cooked is evenly heated. I was struck by how seriously the Spaniards take this - they even sell special gas burners that are needed so that the flame is the same under the entire paella. If the dish is the highlight of the picnic program and is cooked on an open fire, then the fire is constantly monitored, and the firewood is chosen long and carefully. Dry vine and orange tree are considered ideal, but this is already at the level of gourmet tales ...

The hardest part about making paella is catching the moment when the rice has reached the right consistency—soft enough, but not overcooked. During cooking (especially when there is no experience), you have to either increase the fire, then add water or broth, and at the very end you need to make the heating very strong for a couple of minutes - so that the same “crust” is formed. And remember - paella is not stirred! Before serving, the paella "hot hot" is left for a few minutes - so the rice will finally "come to condition".

The best rice for paella is Valencian (there are many varieties - for example, bahia or bomba). But any round (not steamed and not flavored) that absorbs liquid well is quite suitable. Paella rice is not washed!

And now that everything is clear with the general recommendations, let me offer you a few recipes. I have been collecting them for many years in different regions of Spain (recipes were given to me by neighbors, friends and even restaurateurs), translated advice from cookbooks and Spanish websites, tried, combined and processed ... After all, paella is creativity! The result was something that was perfect for me and my household. All recipes are for 4-5 servings and a pan 40 cm in diameter. (In a Moscow kitchen, you have to cook in two smaller pans that fit the diameter of the electric stove burners).

Paella Valencian

• 1 small chicken (up to 1 kg)
• 0.5 kg duck (legs are better) or 0.5 kg rabbit
• 15-20 pcs. snails (I took already boiled, but in shells)
• 0.3 kg of rice
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 large tomato
• 0.3 kg green beans
• 0.2 kg white beans (pre-soaked or boiled)
• Saffron (grind 4-5 stamens), 1 tsp ground paprika, salt to taste, rosemary
• Olive oil

Fry the garlic in plenty of olive oil, remove from the paella. In the same oil, fry the meat, chopped together with the bones into pieces of 3-5 cm, until golden brown. Add green beans, white beans, fry. Add peeled and finely chopped tomato, snails, salt, paprika, saffron and a sprig of rosemary. Pour in water (approximately 1 liter) and simmer for 15-20 minutes. When the water has evaporated by half, remove the rosemary, add the rice and spread it evenly over the pan. Don't interfere! Cook for the first 10 minutes over high heat, then reduce heat and cook for another 7-10 minutes. When the rice absorbs almost all the water, sharply increase the heat - literally for 1 minute. This is how the notorious crust is formed. Remove from heat, cover with a towel (the Spaniards - honestly! - use newspaper) and let stand for about 5 minutes. Serve with lemon cut into quarters.

P.S. If someone is embarrassed by snails, then you can do just fine without them!

Paella with seafood

For her you will need:

• Large shrimps -15-20 pcs. It is better to use unpeeled or at least with ponytails
• Calamari - 2 medium
• Mussels (in shells) - 15-20 pcs. If you are using mussels without shells, then take them a little more
• Octopuses - 4-5 small or 2 medium
• Sea scallops - 0.2 kg
• 0.3 kg of rice
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 2 tomatoes
• Saffron (grind 4-5 stamens), 1 tsp ground paprika, salt to taste
• 0.5 l dry white wine

The principle of preparation is almost the same as in the previous recipe. Therefore, just a few words about the order of bookmarking products. First, fry the shrimp and scallops, remove from the pan. They will need to be returned to the dish at the very end of cooking. Stew the rest of the seafood with tomatoes and spices in white wine, then add water, bring it to a boil and add rice.

P.S. In the absence of fresh seafood, you can use frozen. The taste, of course, is different, but it turns out well - checked! Before cooking, it is better to slowly defrost them in the refrigerator, drain the water and dry them. Seafood can be taken any and in any combination.

Before I move on to the third recipe, let me give you a little background. I ordered a dish called "arroz a banda" (something like "rice separately") in a tiny restaurant, the owner of which I became friends with, only after long and persistent persuasion, and then - so as not to offend a good person. Well, what is the interest of empty rice when you can add a lot of wonderful ingredients to it?! I was not mistaken so much for a long time - the dish brought to me was not just delicious ... It was a masterpiece! What I then cooked at home, using the recipe kindly given to me, was not drawn to a masterpiece. But it was delicious. I hope that next time it will turn out better - I will try. Try it too.

First of all, you need to cook a strong rich broth from fish and seafood. You can use any kind of fish (bones, heads, tails and fins are also used) and any "sea reptiles". In addition to salt, the broth is flavored with rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and black pepper (peas). The broth must be strained, but the remaining small pieces of fish or shrimp are quite acceptable.

For 500 grams of rice, we need a liter of broth, a couple of cloves of garlic, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, olive oil and, of course, saffron.

Fry the chopped garlic in olive oil (this time we leave it in the paella!), add the finely chopped onion and bring it to a golden color. Then we put the mashed tomatoes without skin and saffron. Pour in broth, bring to a boil, add rice. Further - everything is the same as for any paella. This rice is served with lemon and aioli sauce.

We continue our gastronomic journey through the national cuisines of the world. Fast forward to sunny Spain and get acquainted with the equally famous paella

As the Spaniards say, paella- not just hearty and tasty food, it is a kind of symbol of national Spanish cuisine. In any case, not trying paella means not seeing Spain.

The dish got its name from a special paella pan - it should be low, with a flat bottom and have two handles (on the other hand, why shouldn't the pan be called by the name of the dish?). It cooks and serves paella.

But do not run to buy paella! As experience shows, this Spanish dish can be cooked in any large frying pan or cauldron. The main thing is that the vessel should have a heavy bottom (preferably cast iron).

The legend of the origin of paella

There are many stories about the origin of the "real paella". Usually tourists, having heard a hundred or two versions from their guides or just Spanish friends, are completely confused.

Most often, the story sounds like this: at first this dish appeared in Valencia, the “real” paella is called “Valencian paella”). It happened a very long time ago. Listeners claim that the spread of dates for different narrators is from the Punic Wars to the beginning of the 20th century (that is, about two and a half thousand years!).

So, a noble gentleman came to some village or city (we will not list) (here, as you yourself understand, there are very famous names - from Ganibal to Napoleon). The inhabitants of the village, hospitable people, decided to treat the guest. Everyone brought what they could. And here most of the narrators agree, arguing that rice was the main ingredient of the future dish. Saffron and paprika are also mentioned, giving the dish not only taste, but also color. In addition, someone brought beef tenderloin, someone brought veal offal, someone brought duck, someone brought chicken, and even a turkey. Since the city stood on the seashore (in one of the versions of the story), they brought fish, and the most diverse ones - from small anchovy to large tuna, as well as squid, mussels, and so on.

It was spring, and therefore beautiful young girls brought freshly picked stamens of crocuses - saffron. It is he who gives the paella a golden color and a special aroma. They also took bouquets of fresh spicy herbs - lemon balm, dill, fennel. According to other stories, everything happened in the fall, so vegetables were also brought - sweet peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, onions, garlic. Olives and olive oil were also used.

Not confused? Then let's move on! By some lucky chance, everything had already been cleaned, cooked, fried. It remains only to mix the ingredients and heat on fire. By the way, this method is still used in small restaurants and picnics. But there is another version - all the products were raw and prepared on the spot.

And only the end of numerous stories is the same - paella exceeded all the expectations of a noble guest!

paella ingredients

So, we realized that in the preparation of this Spanish dish, various ingredients are used, varying quite widely - from a variety of vegetables to fish and meat. The Spaniards themselves believe that there are about three hundred (!) Types of paella.

So, for example, Valencian paella is prepared with chicken and pork or rabbit meat. And in another paella, marisco, they use shrimp, lobster, mussels instead of meat. Shellfish can be combined in paella with chicken and rabbit, sometimes even sausage and sausages, eggs are added. There is even paella with black rice - it is tinted with cuttlefish juice.

And although each region of Spain has its own culinary traditions for preparing paella, there are also obligatory common features. So, the indispensable components of a real Spanish paella are olive oil, garlic, aromatic herbs, saffron (can be replaced with turmeric) and wine.

The variety of products in recipes is explained by a simple historical fact - paella has always been the food of the poor. Everything about it was available. Rabbits were well caught by snares, the Muslim Arab conquerors did not take away pork from the local population, and the Mediterranean Sea supplied sea reptiles in unlimited quantities.

Paella is especially important in Valencia. It is she who is cooked in a huge paella on St. Joseph's Day (March 19), and right on the street, at the stake. On Thursdays, this dish is served in all Spanish restaurants, but the Spaniards themselves believe that restaurant paella is for tourists, and the real one must be prepared by oneself. They cook: at picnics, served during friendly feasts.

Paella- This is a national Spanish (in particular 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, vegetables, 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 of all kinds of cooking options for 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 with two handles, 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 olive oil.

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

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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Spain is famous for its gastronomic diversity: an abundance of vegetables, seafood and meat inspire the creation of fragrant gourmet dishes. One of these is paella, the classic recipe of which is known to everyone in this hot country since childhood. A simple and hearty rice-based meal, it has various versions recognized as traditional in world cuisine.

Spanish paella - being the hallmark of the country, just like its homeland, strikes with a variety of recipes. Each region has its own way of cooking, including hot and spicy spices, smoked meats or peas. Paella is a classic Valencian recipe and one of the most popular in the country. Considering dozens of versions, all of them are united by one principle - the use of the main components: rice, vegetables, meat or seafood.

Ingredients:

• rabbit meat - 400 g;
• chicken - 700 g;
• round rice - 400 g;
• white beans - 150 g;
• green beans - 150 g;
• green pepper - 1 pc.;
• artichokes - 2 pcs.;
• tomato paste - 100 g;
• olive oil - 50 ml;
• saffron threads - 4 pcs.;
• water - 500 ml.

Cooking

1. Fry the pieces of meat for 5 minutes.
2. Add peeled artichokes, two types of beans and peppers.
3. Enter the paste, water and simmer for half an hour.
4. Pour rice, saffron, add a little water and simmer for 20 minutes.

Paella with chicken is one of the traditional options, completely adapted to our cuisine. With the right selection, the available products can decorate the dish, you just have to follow the recommendations. You should use loose rice: Iberica or Arborio varieties and do not buy fatty parts of the carcass, as the broth will add the necessary juiciness to the components.

Ingredients:

• chicken legs and wings - 700 g;
• rice - 200 g;
• chicken broth - 600 ml;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• sweet pepper - 2 pcs.;
• tomatoes - 3 pcs.;
• ground paprika - 2 teaspoons;
• vegetable oil - 50 ml.

Cooking

1. Fry the chopped legs and wings until golden brown.
2. Combine with vegetables and simmer until moisture evaporates.
3. Rice fry in a pan, season and fill with broth.
4. Simmer for at least half an hour, then increase the heat to get a crust.

Paella classic suggests a variety of products combined with each other. Mixing poultry and seafood is not welcome, and therefore it is combined with spicy smoked sausages, which perfectly set off fresh dietary meat and fill the dish with flavors. Bright vegetables will add color to a Spanish dish made in an hour.

Ingredients:

• turkey fillet - 500 g;
• smoked sausages - 150 g;
• rice - 200 g;
• green peas - 100 g;
• sweet pepper - 1 pc.;
• tomatoes - 3 pcs.;
• broth - 600 ml;
• vegetable oil - 50 ml;
• saffron threads - 5 pcs.

Cooking

1. Fry the fillet pieces and sausages.
2. Add chopped vegetables and simmer for a couple of minutes.
3. Pour rice, season with saffron.
4. Vite chicken broth and simmer on fire for about half an hour.

Paella with seafood classic involves the use of sea platter. Being the food of the poor, the presence of unpeeled fresh animals and unpretentious vegetable components was the norm. The modern approach has become somewhat different, but the motto "simple and accessible" has been preserved. This version assumes a frozen seafood product, which is quite justified.

Ingredients:

• sea ​​cocktail - 500 g;
• rice - 300 g;
• green peas - 100 g;
• sweet pepper - 1 pc.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• tomato puree - 200 g;
• saffron threads - 4 pcs.;
• lemon - 1/2 pc.;
• olive oil - 40 ml;
• water - 500 ml.

Cooking

1. Boil the saffron.
2. Fry prepared seafood a little, add chopped onion.
3. Pour in the rice and, stirring, hold on fire. Pour in seasoning and water.
4. Enter the puree and simmer until evaporated.
5. Add peas and chopped pepper after 10 minutes.
6. The classic paella recipe is complete, garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

Shrimp paella - recipe

Paella with shrimp - will replenish the arsenal of delicious and low-calorie food that can not only satisfy hunger, but also add variety to the daily diet. Affordable products, the right cooking technique and the desire to learn European cuisine will help you create a Spanish masterpiece in half an hour and provide a hearty hot meal for four.

Ingredients:

• shrimp - 450 g;
• rice - 250 g;
• green peas - 150 g;
• bell pepper - 1 pc.;
• tomato puree - 70 g;
• turmeric - 1 teaspoon;
• garlic clove - 3 pcs.;
• olives - a handful;
• water - 600 ml;
• vegetable oil -50 ml.

Cooking

1. Grind chopped garlic in a pan, combine with rice.
2. Pour in water, puree, season, and keep in a pan for about a quarter of an hour.
3. Add vegetables and peeled shrimp.
4. The readiness of paella according to the classic recipe is determined by the complete evaporation of the liquid, garnish with olives.

Paella with mussels is a special dish that requires special ingredients that will not only provide a flavor range, but also nourish the shell meat with spicy aromas. In this case, paella spices in the form of saffron, hot chili and red paprika are an indispensable set. A handful of fresh dill and lemon slices complete the seafood composition.

Ingredients:

• mussels - 200 g;
• arborio - 200 g;
• tomato - 1 pc.;
• garlic clove - 3 pcs.;
• green peas - 100 g;
• fresh dill - a handful;
• lemon - 1/2 pc.;
• chili pepper - 1/4 pc.;
• olive oil - 40 ml;
• paprika - 1 teaspoon;
• saffron threads - 3 pcs.;
• broth - 200 ml.

Cooking

1. Blanch the tomato, peel, chop and fry with chopped garlic.
2. Pour in the rice, season and pour in the broth without stirring.
3. Cover the bowl with foil and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.
4. Put the mussels and peas and keep on fire until the liquid is completely absorbed.
5. Paella - a classic recipe with mussels is served on the table after a 10-minute rest.

Paella with vegetables is an independent dish that does not need any meat and fish ingredients. This gastronomic feature attracts not only fasters, but also people who adhere. So that a healthy meal does not turn into porridge, you need to strictly monitor the proportions of vegetables and liquid.

Ingredients:

• rice - 300 g;
• red and green pepper - 2 pcs.;
• garlic clove - 3 pcs.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• tomatoes - 3 pcs.;
• zucchini - 1 pc.;
• saffron threads - 5 pcs.;
• paprika - 1 teaspoon;
• olive oil - 50 ml;
• water - 300 ml.

Cooking

1. Fry the onion in a pan, add the diced tomatoes, zucchini and pepper, sweat for about 10 minutes.
2. Pour the rice, season it with spices, pour in the liquid and mix.
3. Keep on the stove for no more than 20 minutes.

Cooking paella is a process in which there is always room for imagination. The beauty of the recipe is that you can add any components from simple to exclusive without changing the base. Fish harmonizes perfectly with rice and vegetables, and therefore paella at home will become an affordable and nutritious dish appropriate for dinner.