The Secret to Preparing the Perfect Paella
| Overall Rating | No Ratings |
Hello again! It's great to have you back visiting Yes Recipes again. Please leave a comment and let us know your thoughts about our site.
 |
||
 |
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, paella is a saffron-flavored dish made with varying combinations of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken and seafood. The Dictionary also explains that in the Old French and Catalan languages, paella means frying pan or pot. The traditional paella pan is flat and of large diameter, it can also have handles on each side.
In fact, paella is one of the most versatile dishes to make. Paella also has the advantage of being great to clean out the fridge and use up leftover meats and vegetables. Any combination will eventually be great the secret is in the chemistry. Paella is a dish that is generally made to feed several people. Moreover, paella is quite flavorful the next day as the tastes have had time to mix together and become stronger.
This article is not a recipe but rather an outline that describes the three basic steps to follow to make a wonderful paella while leaving the reader (the chef!) the latitude to be creative and to make the dish their own by customizing it to their taste.
First the rice.
Select a type of rice that you are comfortable using. Feel free to experiment but know that paella contains a lot of ingredients and if you are unhappy with the end result with a particular type of rice, you might end up with a lot of waste. Basmati, brown or a mix with wild rice can add great taste and texture. Follow the instructions on the package with regards to washing and cooking the rice. Finely chop some onion, garlic and tomato. Heat a saucepan and add olive oil once the saucepan is hot (make sure that the oil does not start smoking. Burnt olive oil is carcinogenic and quite unhealthy). Once the oil is hot, throw in the uncooked rice. Frying uncooked rice gives it a nutty taste. Let the rice fry in the saucepan for a minute or so. Add the chopped onion, garlic and tomato until they soften, mixing constantly. Spice with saffron, salt and pepper. Feel free to experiment. Cumin, Cayenne various fine herbs or even a bit cinnamon or cloves can easily be added for a flavoring of your own. This mixture should not be on the stove for more that three to five minutes. At high heat with constant mixing, none of the ingredients should stick but they should mix well together and soften. Once all the ingredients are combined, remove the saucepan from the burner and mix in some frozen peas. Add enough peas to make a well balanced mixture.
Second the meat.
In a frying pan at high heat, brown some pieces of chicken. Upper thighs, drumsticks, breasts...it's all good. Do not cook the meat completely but brown the outside. Once browned, set the meat aside. Lamb can also add great flavor to your paella.
Third combining it all.
Cover the bottom of the paella pan with the uncooked rice mixture. Add the browned chicken pieces on top. Add uncooked Merguez (spicy lamb sausages) and small fish filets rolled up and fastened with a toothpick or string. Use any type of fish but make sure that its flesh will hold well together. Pour some chicken broth on top (if the broth is warm the cooking time will reduce). Note that you can also add wine for more flavor. Cover the paella dish and cook for about 45 minutes at 350F or until the rice is cooked. At this point you can add raw shrimp or muscles and cook uncovered for another five minutes.
In short, the secret to preparing the perfect paella is to make it your own!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Asian Home Gourmet Vietnamese Chicken Curry
March 19, 2009 by admin
Filed under Prepared Meals, Appetizers & Hors d'Oeuvres
| Overall Rating | No Ratings |
This Vietnamese curry with a unique blend of onions, lemongrass, soyabean paste and spices has a delicate taste when cooked with chicken, carrot and sweet potato. This mild and creamy curry is usually eaten with rice or French bread (baguette).
Popularity: 1% [?]
Rich Diesslins Funny General Cartoons – Fish why did the chicken cross the road joke – Coffee Gift Baskets – Coffee Gift Basket
March 12, 2009 by admin
Filed under Gift Baskets
| Overall Rating | No Ratings |
Fish why did the chicken cross the road joke Coffee Gift Basket is measuring 9x9x4. Contains 15oz mug, BONUS free set of 4 coasters, biscotti and 5 blends of gourmet coffee. French Vanilla, Kenya AA, Decaf Colombian Supremo, Chocolate and Italian Roast Espresso elegantly presented in our signature black planet coffee gift box. A very nice and thoughtful gift for any occasion.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Glace de Poulet Gold (Classic Roasted Chicken Stock) 1.5 oz.
March 10, 2009 by admin
Filed under Prepared Meals, Appetizers & Hors d'Oeuvres
| Overall Rating | No Ratings |
20-time reduction of French chicken stock results in a deep, rich, roasted color and syrupy consistency. Use this in your poultry dishes when you want a pure, intense flavor to finished sauces or when deglazing the roasting pan.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Poussin (French All Natural, Young Chicken)
March 8, 2009 by admin
Filed under Prepared Meals, Appetizers & Hors d'Oeuvres
| Overall Rating | No Ratings |
We offer Poussin that has been raised by a local farm that has been servicing the finest kitches in America for over 70 years. Poussin os ,pdeled after French spring chickens. Each bird is raised till 3 weeks of age and weighs 16-19 oz each and yields a very tender and delicately flavored poultry. Poussin is often reffered to as the "veal of chicken."
Fed an All Natural diet and fresh spring water, our Poussin never recieves any antibiotics or growth hormones. All our Poussin is farm-raised under stress-free conditions, allowing them to reach their natural maximum potential.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Classic Chicken Stock Glace De Poulet Gold 1 Lb Tub
February 14, 2009 by admin
Filed under Prepared Meals, Appetizers & Hors d'Oeuvres
| Overall Rating | No Ratings |
Chicken Stock Reduced to Glace: A 20-time reduction of French chicken stock with deep, rich, toasted color and syrupy consistency. Glace de Poulet Gold/Roasted Chicken Stock provides pure, intense flavor when used to enhance finished sauces or when deglazing directly in a roasting or sauté pan. It can also be used to enhance your stocks by adding 1-2 oz. per gallon, bringing deep flavor and roasted color to every batch of stock you make. Glace de Poulet Gold is the first classic French chicken stock made to the standards of professional kitchens. This is no ordinary chicken stock. Glace de Poulet Gold/Roasted Chicken Stock requires more than 24 hours of reduction to achieve its deep, rich, roasted color and syrupy consistency. The pure, intense flavors are made using only the finest natural ingredients, NO CHEMICALS, PRESERVATIVES, MSG, or SUGAR.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Add this to your favourites
