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Prep time
25 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
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Serves
4 to 6
Author Notes
There are a couple of things required to make a great paella: the right rice, a long-cooked sofrito base, and the nerve to cook it slowly without stirring to allow the rice to steam and develop a socarrat—the caramelized layer of rice at the bottom of a pan of well-made paella.
The rice must be a medium-grained rice. I was taught to make it with bomba rice, although I know a lot of Spaniards who use calasparra. This is one of the few times where it's necessary to seek out a specialty ingredient, either by finding a fancy food store or ordering online. Bomba rice is different than something like arborio, which is used for risotto, because the starch content allows it to cook up as individual grains and benefits from not stirring. Arborio rice needs to be stirred and have the cooking liquid added in intervals to develop the signature creaminess.
Sofrito is a catch-all term for a long-cooked base of aromatic vegetables. Like mirepoix in France or the holy trinity in Cajun and Creole cooking, sofrito lends depth of flavor to any dish. In this case, it's nothing more than onion, garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes cooked until thick and has become more than the sum of its parts. You can add other aromatics like bell peppers, carrots, celery, etc., but this combination is how I was taught and what I have come to like best.
True paella isn’t stirred after the liquid is added. This allows the rice to gently absorb the cooking liquid and keep the grains of rice intact. I always cook slowly on a burner or grill. I’ve seen accomplished chefs place a started paella into a hot (425°F) oven or nestled into the coals of a campfire. No matter how you cook it, don’t stir. Trust the method and let it cook. Stirring is often used to keep things from sticking to the bottom of the pan, but in this case, you want the paella to stick a little bit. The socarrat is the coveted crispy browned layer of rice at the bottom of the paella. Similar to the browned crust of a tahdig or the layer of not-quite-burnt cheese at the bottom of the fondue pot, socarrat is the prize hidden underneath. To ensure a crust, turn up the heat at the very end of cooking (after the liquid is fully absorbed) and listen. You’ll start to hear the rice crackle, give it 30 seconds or a minute, then remove from the heat. Like the rest of us, paella benefits from a bit of a rest after going through the ups and downs of cooking, so give it a 10-minute rest between cooking and serving.
Paella only needs these three things. Everything else is extra. You can add seafood or chicken or chorizo. At the height of July summer vegetable bounty, I like to layer the top with a variety of different vegetables to steam along with the rice. This is my favorite combination, but don’t feel confined by it. Just know that if something takes a while to cook (like the artichokes used here), cook it in advance and use the steam to re-warm and make it part of the paella. —abraberens
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Ingredients
- Sofrito
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1/4 cup
olive oil
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1
small yellow onion, finely chopped
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2
garlic cloves, finely chopped
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1 teaspoon
herbes de Provence or a few sprigs of thyme and/or rosemary
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Kosher salt
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1/4 cup
red wine
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1
(28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- Paella
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3 tablespoons
olive oil
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1
medium yellow onion, finely chopped
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2
medium carrots, finely chopped
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2
garlic cloves, finely chopped
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Kosher salt
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2 cups
bomba or calasparra rice
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1 teaspoon
sweet paprika
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1/2 teaspoon
saffron threads
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1 cup
frozen peas
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5 cups
hot vegetable stock or water
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1/2 pound
green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
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1
(14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half or quartered
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1
(9-ounce) tin roasted sweet red peppers, drained
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1/2 pound
zucchini, coarsely chopped
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Fresh lemon juice and/or chopped parsley, for serving
Directions
- Sofrito
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, and herbes de Provence, season with a big pinch of salt, and cook, stirring and reducing the heat if it starts to brown, for about 7 minutes, until soft but not browning. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until reduced by half.
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Stir in the tomatoes and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the liquid is reduced to a thick sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
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Do Ahead: The sofrito can be made 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Paella
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In a large 14 or 16-inch frying pan (any kind except nonstick will do) over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, until soft but not browning. Add the sofrito, rice, paprika, and saffron and stir to coat in the onion mixture. Let toast on the burner for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add the peas and stock and stir to combine (this is the last time you’ll stir). Arrange the beans, artichokes, red peppers, and zucchini on top of the rice and press into the rice to submerge gently. Without stirring, let the liquid come to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and has steamed the vegetables. To check the liquid level, use the handle end of a wooden spoon to make a little crater in the paella and see if there is still water at the bottom; if so, keep cooking. When all of the water has been absorbed, increase the heat to medium and listen for the rice to start to crackle and develop the socarrat, about 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
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Remove the pan from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes to set.
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Divide the paella among plates, being sure to scrape up any socarrat. Serve with a squeeze of lemon or flourish of parsley (I usually serve a green salad on the side or at the end of the meal).
Abra Berens is a chef, author, and former vegetable farmer. She started cooking at Zingerman's Deli, trained at Ballymaloe in Cork, Ireland. Find her at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, MI. Her first two cookbooks Ruffage and Grist are out now. The third Pulp: a practical guide to cooking with fruit publishes on April 4th, 2023.
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