Rocio Osborne

Last weekend I traveled to Javea, a cute coastal town near Valencia, for a friend’s wedding. This region is very well known for their paella (a mixed rice dish prepared mainly with seafood), so of course, I couldn’t leave without having some. I went to a restaurant called La Perla de Javea, and enjoyed a fantastic paella with a wonderful view of the sea. It was unbelievable!

Paella in Javea

I ran into a paella recipe that I’d like to share with you from the show Spain… On the Road Again. In case you’ve never watched it, it’s a great show about the culinary traditions and history of Spain, hosted by Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Did you know that Gwyneth got to know Spanish culture and gastronomy when she came to Spain as a foreign exchange student in high school? She was adopted by her host town, Talavera de la Reina, which is located 20 km away from our winery in Malpica. For as little time as she’s spent here, her Spanish is extraordinary. I can’t tell you how many Spanish people go abroad for a year to learn English and can’t speak that well afterwards.

Anyway… back to paella. I’ve never cooked it before, as I think it’s quite difficult, and I don’t consider myself a very skilled cook. But here’s the recipe I found. It sounds so delicious!

Give it a try and let me know the results. Even better, take a picture of the finished paella, and send me a link. I want to see it!

Enjoy!
Rocio

Paella Recipe from Spain… On the Road Again

*  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*  6 large scampi or Dublin Bay prawns in the shell
* 1 medium Spanish onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
* 1/2 cup pureed ripe tomatoes
* 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon saffron threads
* 1 tablespoon sweet pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)
* 1 pound cleaned cuttlefish (or substitute calamari), cut into 1-inch pieces
* 2 quarts Fish Stock
* 2 cups Bomba or other short-grain rice
* 1 pound monkfish tail, cleaned and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
* 1 pound Manila clams, scrubbed

Preheat a 14- to 18-inch paella pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until smoking. Add the scampi and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato puree, stirring it into the onions, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the salt, saffron, pimentón, and cuttlefish and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the cuttlefish firms up slightly. Add the stock, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir well to distribute it evenly. Add monkfish and clams, arranging them in nicely, bring the stock back to a boil, and cook, without stirring, for 10 minutes. Reintroduce shrimp to paella, taste for salt and add it if needed, then cook, again without stirring, for 10-15 more minutes, or until the liquid is almost completely absorbed and the pan starts to make a crackling noise (don’t worry, this is what you want). Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.