La Paella E-Book

Louise Pickford

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 112

Beschreibung

Enjoy the true taste of Spain and explore this fascinating country's love affair with paella and the deliciously diverse ways in which rice and noodles are used in a multitude of unmissable dishes.

Leseprobe

La

Paella

La

Paella

Recipes for delicious Spanish rice and noodle dishes

Louise Pickford

photography by Ian Wallace

Designer Paul Stradling

Editor Sarah Vaughan

Production Mai-ling Collyer

Art Director Leslie Harrington

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Publisher Cindy Richards

Food and prop stylist Louise Pickford

Indexer Vanessa Bird

First published in 2020

by Ryland Peters & Small,

20–21 Jockey’s Fields,

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St,

New York NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text © Louise Pickford 2015, 2020. Design and photographs © Ryland Peters & Small 2015, 2020.

Some of these recipes previously appeared in Paella and Other Spanish Rice Dishes.

ISBN: 978-1-78879-236-3

EISBN: 978-1-78879-308-7

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data has been applied for.

Printed and bound in China.

Notes

• Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial plus US cup) measurements are included in these recipes for your convenience – however it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe.

• All spoon measurements are level unless specified.

• All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless specified as large, in which case US extra-large should be used. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the elderly or frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

Contents

Introduction

The Spanish Storecupboard

La Despensa de la Cocina Español

Basic Recipes

Recetas Básicas

Paellas

Paellas

Creamy Rice Dishes

Arroz Caldoso

Baked Rice Dishes

Arroz Al Horno

Noodle Dishes

Fideua

Soups

Sopas

Fried Dishes

Frituras

Sweet Treats

El Postre

Index

Suppliers and Stockists

Introduction

This book celebrates one of the most loved and perhaps well known Spanish dishes, paella. While most of us know rice to be the basis of this delicious dish, a lesser known type of pasta noodle, called fideo (or fideu in Catalan), is also cooked in a similar way. The dish is known as fideua (pronounced fi-de-gwah) and means ‘a large amount of noodles’.

Deeply rooted in Spanish culture and cuisine, rice was first introduced by the Arabs in the 8th century. Now, it is one of the country’s most important food sources. Today, Spain is Europe’s second largest rice producer; the low-lying wetland areas of Valencia, Murcia and Catalonia boasting perfect conditions for paella rice to thrive. Highly regarded for its ability to absorb up to three times its volume in liquid, the rice swells as it cooks while retaining its shape and texture. It is harder to decipher when pasta appeared in Spain. Pasta making can be traced back to the Arab world, so it could have simply arrived with rice, though it is also likely that Italian cooks travelling to Spain transferred their own love of pasta into Spanish cooking.

Most savoury Spanish dishes begin with a sofrito; a rich paste-like melange of garlic, onion, paprika, saffron and tomato sautéed in oil. Into this other ingredients are stirred and cooked briefly before adding stock, rather than water, to add depth of flavour (see pages 14 and 15 for stock recipes). For traditional paella, a combination of meats, seafood and seasonal vegetables are used, and when cooked, it should be dry on the top, crusty at the bottom and moist in the middle. Fideua, the more current invention, is made with just fish and seafood. It uses less liquid, takes less time to cook and, although it also has a dry top and a crispy base, it is less ‘wet’ than paella. Both crispy bases are known as socarrat… and are often fought over!

There are many paella and fideua variations to be found in this book, from soups and stews to baked, fried or even sweet dishes. If you plan on making them regularly, I really recommend investing in a 35-cm/14-inch paella pan, even if a shallow flameproof casserole or large frying pan/skillet will do. Baked rice dishes (arroz al horno) are traditionally oven cooked in an earthenware dish (or cazuela), are similar in texture to paella and they, too, are left to sit for 5–10 minutes before serving. You can also cook all the paella recipes in the oven; once all of the ingredients are in the pan, transfer to the oven and cook as specified. Creamy rice (arroz caldozo), similar to risotto, is traditionally cooked in a two-handled pan that is deeper than a paella pan, and is served immediately with alioli, a fiercely Spanish garlic mayonnaise (see page 12). Rice or noodle soups (sopa con arroz y fideos) are cooked in a deep saucepan/pot and require the most liquid. They also need to be served straight away to prevent the rice or noodles absorbing more liquid and becoming mushy. The final two chapters feature some lesser known – compared to paella, that is – but equally impressive recipes for fried dishes (frituras) and sweet dishes (el postre), that can be found in households all over Spain.

If you’re a lover of Spanish food, you’re sure to find authentic and surprising recipes here.

The Spanish Storecupboard

La Despensa de la Cocina Español

Saffron (azafrán) is the world’s most expensive spice. It is the dried stigma of a variety of crocus plant (Sativus) and is still picked by hand, which is why it is so expensive. The higher the percentage of pure red rather than red-yellow strands, the better the quality, and both the strands and powdered saffron can be added to a dish. However, if a recipe calls for powdered saffron it is best to use the strands and pound them yourself, to ensure its quality.

Paprika (pimentón) is a powdered spice made from red (bell) peppers that are smoked and dried over a fire, and is one of Spain’s finest and most highly prized commodities. There are many different types of paprika and it is used in everything from chorizo sausage to sauces. Varieties include smoked (ahumado de la Vera), sweet (dulce), hot (picante) and bitter-sweet (agridulce). Of course, the flavour will vary depending on the type, as will the colour, which can range from an orangey rust to a deep burnt red.

Ñora peppers (pimienta ñora) are small, sweet-fleshed red (bell) peppers only available dried. They add flavour to stews and soups and are much more commonly used than chilli/chile peppers, especially in a paella or fideua. To prepare and rehydrate the dried peppers, pierce them with a sharp knife – this allows the water to penetrate and be absorbed – and soak them in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Discard the stalks and seeds, then scrape the flesh from the skins, reserving the paste and disposing of the skins.

Ñora pepper paste (pasta de pimienta ñora) is now readily available from specialist suppliers, and is far easier and quicker to use than the above method. Both the whole dried pepper and the paste are used in the book, but you can use either in the same quantities.

Espelette peppers (Ezpeletako biperra in Basque) are small red chilli/chile peppers only grown in Espelette and its surrounding villages in Pays Basque, south-west France. With a medium-intense heat, they appear speckled red-orange once ground. They smell a little of hay, yet with a sweet, slightly lemony, smoky flavour, and are used on both sides of the border in French and Spanish Basque dishes. Cayenne pepper can substitute if needs be.

Piquillo peppers (pimientos del piquillo) are small, pointed red chilli/chile peppers grown in Spain, and are only sold roasted and brined in jars or cans. They are commonly used in tapas dishes, stuffed or in salads, but make a delicious addition to rice dishes.

Rice (arroz). Of the two premium varieties grown, Calasparra rice is perhaps the best known outside of Spain, while the even more coveted bomba rice even has Designation of Origin (DO) status as a mark of its unique characteristics. Bomba is a tiny, pearl-shaped grain, with high starch content. It is expensive as rice goes and hard to find outside of Spain, although it can be bought online (see page 128) and in certain stores. If you cannot find bomba or Calasparra rice, arborio risotto rice makes a good substitute.

Noodles (fideos/fideus). In Spain, the generic term for pasta noodles is fideos or fideus, depending on the region, and fideua is the name given to the dish when cooked in a paella pan. Far fewer types of pasta noodles are used in Spain than in Italy, and most recipes call for fideos, a noodle similar to vermicelli but made in short lengths. They are available from specialist food stores or online (see page 128) but you can use vermicelli or angel hair pasta and break it into small lengths, if you prefer. I have found vermicelli already made into short lengths in French and UK supermarkets.

Squid/cuttlefish ink (tinta de calamar/sepia) is the ink that squid and cuttlefish squirt at their predators from sacs in their hind gut. When used in cooking, the flavour is like an intense hit of squid, adding real depth of flavour to dishes. It can be found in specialist fishmongers, but now it is widely available in jars or small sachets as concentrated ink. Arroz a negro or fideua a negro are two of Spain’s most famous dishes that use squid ink.

Olive oil (aceite de oliva). Spain is the world’s largest producer of olive oil and for many years it was exported to Italy, where it was blended and re-bottled, being sold on as Italian oil. Today, Spanish olive oil is highly regarded in its own right and over 20 varieties have been awarded Designation of Origin (DO). As the recipes in this book use olive oil for frying, I tend to use a good-quality Spanish oil from the supermarket, rather than opting for a very expensive oil that I reserve to drizzle on salads. As Spain produces over half of the world’s olive oil, it is quite likely that the oil you have been buying and using at home originated in Spain.

Salt (sal). Spain produces some wonderful artisan sea salt called flor de sal. It is a very flaky, crystalline salt and tastes strongly of the sea; full of nutrients and highly recommended for the dishes in this book.

Chorizo (pronounced chore-reeth-oh) is a type of cured Spanish sausage made from coarsely chopped pork and red (bell) pepper, seasoned with chilli/chili powder and paprika. Available dried and raw, both types add a robust flavour to dishes and are great in paellas, even if some would argue it is not a traditional ingredient. I only use dried chorizo in these recipes, as it is far easier to find.

Mallorcan sausage (sobrasada de Mallorca) is similar to chorizo but is far softer in texture. Although it is strictly a raw sausage, it is cured and can be eaten without cooking. It is similar to the Italian soft, cured, yet spicy sausage called njuda, which could be used instead. You can substitute it with regular chorizo if you like.

White haricot/navy beans (alubia blanca). The Spanish love legumes both fresh and dried. Used in many different types of regional dishes, this smallish white bean is the most widely grown variety in Spain and is used in many soups and stews. You can substitute with cannellini beans if you need to.

Basic Recipes

Recetas Básicas

As with all cuisines, there are a handful of basic recipes integral to many Spanish dishes. Most savoury dishes begin with a sofrito (see page 7), a vital element of Spanish cooking.

Paella and fideua are often accompanied by alioli, a Spanish garlic mayonnaise. Sometimes stirred through the dish before serving, it adds a creaminess as well as a wonderful hit of garlic umami. Here is a basic alioli recipe with flavour variations, and a vegan version. For both, you can vary the amount of garlic, to your taste. Aside from the ingredients here, other flavours could be used, such as chopped herbs, roasted or puréed (bell) peppers, or even squid ink.

A good home-made stock is also used in all paella and fideua dishes to give a fuller, rounder flavour. They are definitely worth the effort to make as they provide a superior depth of flavour to the dish, and are highly recommended for the recipes in this book (see pages 14 and 15).

Alioli

Add more or less garlic depending on what you prefer – either way it will be delicious!

3 egg yolks

2–4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

125 ml/½ cup fruity extra virgin olive oil

125 ml/½ cup olive oil

sea salt and ground white pepper

Lemon alioli

grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon