Seafood Paella

I celebrated my 15th birthday with my dad on a road trip eating our way through Europe, and two of the places we spent the most time were Madrid and Barcelona. Simply put, Spain stole my teenage heart. So much that by the age of 19 I moved to Barcelona and fell madly in love, but that’s a story for another recipe. During my time there I quickly learned that inside the kitchens of Spanish yayas, they do not make paellas daily; that saffron and lemon wedges are not a must on all paellas; and that they did not like those “all yellow paellas,” also known as tourist trap paellas. 

Paella: The Origin Story

Paella is to Spain what barbecues mean for so many of us on this side of the Atlantic. At its core paella means a special occasion or family and friends gathering around the table on Sundays. To say there is a simple way to define paella would be impossible so let’s have a paella heart-to-heart. Paella-like dishes have been documented as far back as the time of the Romans and are said to have been brought to Spain by Muslim North Africans, as they brought rice with them. But historians have agreed that paella as we know it is rooted in Valencia, Spain. Hence the paella Valenciana is the one and only paella by definition.

The Only Recognized Paella is the Paella Valenciana

A paella is a type of pan, period. However, throughout the years, outside of Spain any rice dish cooked in a paella pan has been called a paella. Meanwhile, the “original” paella has been recognized and baptized as the Valenciana or Paella Valenciana. The official list of paella Valenciana ingredients is protected by a “Denominación de Origen.” This is not an easy thing to achieve. 

“Denominación de Origen” grants a certification for certain products produced in the region of their origin, in the traditional manner, using specific ingredients. Although rice is the one dish mainly cooked in the paella pan, if it’s not a paella Valenciana made in Spain it is simply a rice dish. Yes, even if you only change the protein or flavor of the broth. If it is not a paella Valenciana, it is not a “paella” at all. There is a saying in Valencia that “there is a difference between paella, and rice mixed with things.”

The Official List of Recognized Ingredients in Paella Valenciana

• Olive oil
• Chicken
• Rabbit
• Flat Beans (“Coconut Bean” or “Ferraura” or “Bajoqueta”)
• Garrofe bean (“Garrofó”)
• Tomato
• Water
• Salt
• Saffron
• Rice grown in Valencia (Bomba, Calasparra, or Valencia rice)

There are a few optional accepted ingredients in an authentic paella Valenciana, including duck, artichokes, and snails, but all paellas Valencianas must contain the ten bulleted ingredients above.

The Evolution of Paella

While the paella Valenciana and its humble origins have been adored and almost revered in so many regions throughout Spain (and governed by very strict guidelines—there’s no wiggle room). "Paella" as a more general type of dish has recently seen a surge in creativity. Nowadays, there are as many “paella” combinations as toppings are for pizza.

As with many beloved dishes with humble beginnings, over the past five-plus years paella has begun to break away from tradition and is now being made with a rainbow of ingredients. Any combination is welcomed nowadays: chicken wing paella, surf and turf paella with longaniza and crayfish (a favorite in Catalonia); Galician steak paella; vegetarian paella; and my favorite, paella with cigala (Mediterranean slipper lobster).

Bomba Rice: The Key to Paella

We cannot talk about paella without talking about Bomba rice. Bomba rice is labor intensive to grow and is only grown in the cold wetlands of Calasparra in Murcia near Valencia. Bomba translates to “bomb,” and it holds true to its name. When you eat a good paella each grain really explodes with flavor. Bomba rice is drier than other rice. It has a thick starchy center that you will see when you toast the rice.

Bomba rice's magic power is that it can absorb up to three times its volume of liquid without getting mushy. When cooked, it only expands in width and not in length as other grains of rice, and it resists overcooking. This quality is particularly great for flavor because you will almost never taste a mushy paella.

When you overcook a long grain rice such as jasmine or basmati the rice breaks open, releasing starch and becoming mushy. Even when overcooked this will not happen to Bomba rice. Bomba rice is an important if not the most important ingredient in paella because paella should never be sticky and it cooks very loose—so loose that each grain is distinct as you eat a spoonful of paella or arroz. This is a key characteristic of any paella or rice dish in Spain.

In Search of Socarrat

As we have learned, paella has different layers to it, and a real paella nerd knows about the socarrat, the crusty layer of rice on the bottom of the pan. Socarrat equals time and attention. You have to work for it just a little bit harder to achieve the slightly toasted part of the rice on the bottom of the pan (without burning it) that gives paella that characteristic caramelized flavor and pleasant bite on the palate. You simply cannot walk away when doing this part of paella and it is worth it.

We are living in a time when paellas are undergoing rapid evolution. While there are other rice dishes eaten and deeply loved throughout Spain, paella was, is, and will be a staple dish on every corner in Spain whether it’s made with chicken, longaniza, or cuttlefish; topped with a ribeye steak or pork belly; or the grand Valenciana. Paella is one of those dishes that continues to push culture forward and keep our hearts and bellies full.

Recipe Tips

• For a “homestyle” paella, you can sauté the shrimp along with the cuttlefish and then leave them in for the entire cooking time rather than arranging them on top towards the end of cooking.
• Traditionally, alioli was made just with olive oil, eggs, and garlic in a mortar. But it is important to note that in Spain what they call olive oil is what we know as blended oil. This normally blends olive oil and a neutral oil, also known as a 04-grade oil. 100% olive oil or even extra-virgin oil (which should never be used for alioli) is too powerful and its flavor will overtake everything else. It will even make the alioli a bit bitter.
• If you can't find cuttlefish (they are available in the freezer section of most Asian supermarkets, like H Mart or 99 Ranch), you can substitute more shrimp and/or clams, use octopus or squid instead, or even use a white fish like rockfish, cod, red snapper, or halibut.
• In this recipe the clams are cooked separately to ensure that they do not get overcooked. However, if desired you can arrange the clams on top of the paella at the same time as the shrimp and cook them until they open.
• Paella is all about three things: the rice, good protein, and the broth. Get good fresh protein to ensure great flavor. Whenever possible, Bomba rice is the way to go when making paella. Finally, always, always boil your broth and add hot broth to cook your paella.
• You have to watch this dish closely as it cooks, especially if you are hoping to get the coveted socarrat. Staying close and being what I call “the flame keeper” is an important job when making paella. If it’s not boiling enough, adjust the heat until you find that sweet spot. 
• Serve paella by itself or with a simple salad and a dry white wine like Txacoli or a cold beer.