Spanish Rice

The huge paella pan I bought at the Central Market in Valencia, Spain, certainly wasn't the easiest souvenir to bring home (that prize went to my tiny precious jars of saffron). Then again, it wasn't the heaviest (bottles of olive oil and cava took care of the "Heavy, get help to lift" tag that usually gets slapped on my return suitcases).

But every time I pull out the circular metal pan with its dimpled bottom and handles on both sides, I'm transported once more to the city by the sparkling Mediterranean Sea where paella was born.

Ask any valenciano where to find the best paella and the first response is usually "La cocina de mi madre" (my mother's kitchen) -- which probably best explains why paella today has so many variations.

Invented by the rice reapers in the Albufera region near Valencia, traditional paella basically consisted of rabbit, snails, duck and beans. These days, however, you'll find paella in endless variations -- cooked in various stocks, mixed with baby squid and ink, scattered with sausage, or loaded with seafood such as lobster, clams, mussels and shrimp. Vegetables can vary from fava beans and turnips to artichokes and strips of red pepper.

The truth is that only three ingredients are basic to authentic paella: olive oil, rice and saffron -- and the general rule is to keep all other ingredients to a minimum.

The basics

The basis of paella is the short-grain Spanish rice harvested around the vast shores of Lake Albufera, just south of Valencia. The most popular and prized variety is called bomba. Considered the ultimate rice for paella, bomba rice stays fairly firm during cooking and absorbs a lot of liquid. This is important because the cooking liquid is what gives paella its flavor. Another option is a medium-grain rice, sold by Goya in many grocery stores. Arborio rice also is an acceptable alternative. Do not use typical long-grain rice or converted rice.

The pan

Paella gets its name from the pan it is cooked in. Always wide, round and shallow, with looped handles on either side, paella pans range from tiny (1½ to 2 inches) to huge (up to 4 feet across). The "dimples" on the bottom of the pans help to spread the heat evenly. Be aware that anything larger than 12 inches is difficult to handle on a stovetop. But don't forget that paella is perfect picnic fare, too -- and cooked over coals or on the beach (popular in Spain) over a wood fire, the size of the pan isn't so crucial.

Many cooks in Valencia will also tell you that instead of measuring water for their paella, they simply pour to the level of rivets where the pan's handles are attached.

The spice

The color of sunshine, paella gets its golden hue (and a very subtle flavor) from a few threads of the expensive spice saffron. Many recipes also add a pinch of smoked Spanish paprika -- a wonderful and versatile spice you'll want in your pantry. (Never use turmeric, which also can infuse a yellow coloring, but is too strongly flavored for paella.)

The sofrito

The sofrito is the sauté of aromatics in olive oil -- the onions and garlic -- that gives paella its flavor base. The result of the sofrito is the socarrat, which is the "golden, toasty rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan," says valenciano Máximo Caletrío, "and that is to die for!"

To serve

Before serving, it is important to let the paella rest for a few minutes off the heat. (Cover with foil.) In Valencia, paella is often served for Sunday dinner or when all family members are together. Traditionally, paella was always served in the afternoon, never at night -- and eaten directly from the pan in which it was cooked. Indeed, no plates were used (now that's real family style!); everyone simply helped themselves with a spoon, working their way from the outside edges to the center of the pan for the final tasty reward of the socarrat.

The recipe

The following family recipe for Paella Valenciana is adapted from one that Máximo Caletrío watched his mother, grandmother and aunts cook for many years. "The ingredients and measurements are basic," he said, "and some people, like my mother, like to add rabbit, and also they like more vegetables, so they add things such as artichoke hearts."

You can serve paella with a Spanish wine, such as Spain's sparkling cava.