Spain's Famous Dish: Paella

Paella is a typical Spanish dish and is traditionally cooked in a "paellera" - a round flat pan with two handles - which is then put on the table. In many Spanish villages, especially in coastal areas, they use a giant paellera to cook a paella on festival days which is big enough to feed everybody. Ripe with history, paella is the signature dish of Spain. Its lasting success is due to the simplicity of its preparation, and the quality and variety of its ingredients.

The History of Paella:

The Ebro delta is actually just north of Valencia in Tarragona.
But Valencia has become closely associated with rice dishes made from the short grain Arborio rice which grows there.
The most famous being Paella (Pie-ay-ah).

“La Paella” is a cooking utensil, traditionally and preferably made of iron. The pan is circular and shallow with two round handles on opposite sides with a flat base of a good thickness. The word itself is old Valencian and probably has its roots in the Latin “patella” (A flat basket in Galicia). The Castillian “paila” and the French “paele” mean the same thing.

During the centuries following the establishment of rice in Spain, the peasants of Valencia would use the paella pan to cook rice with easily available ingredients from the countryside: tomatoes, onions and snails.

On special occasions rabbit or duck might be included, and the better-off could afford chicken.
Little by little this “Valencian rice” became more widely known.
By the end of the nineteenth century “paella valenciana”
had established itself.

Our Signature Dish is Paella Vallenciana

Paella is one of Spain's most famous dishes. Our Shell Fish Casserole is based on the traditional recipes found in the Valencia region of Spain. Chef Fadul creates this Marbella specialty with heaping portions of shrimp, mussels, clams, chorizo sausage, chicken, fish, saffron rice, peas, bell peppers and tops it off with a lobster. Paella Valenciana is one of our most popular meals and is served for lunch and dinner. If you have never had our Paella, be sure to try it some time. The portions are overwhelming so bring a good appetite.

Spain is famous for Paella and so are we. Clevelanders drive from near and far to dig into this steaming seafood dish. It is so enormous that couples often share this entree. And if you dare to go it alone, chances are you will be having Paella for lunch the next day at home.

Chef Fadul really goes overboard when he makes Paella for you. Heaping portions of Saffron rice are tossed with shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops and fresh white fish.

It doesn't stop there. After the mounds of seafood are added, Marcelo then adds slices of zesty Chorizo sausage, bit size chunks of chicken breast, sliced red and green bell peppers and peas. And just to be sure you don't go home hungry, he tops off our signature dish with a lobster. Are you getting hungry yet? We are, just talking about it.

Before we serve our Paella, we bring you a crisp tossed salad of mixed greens and tomatoes topped with our special Spanish dressing. This helps to get your digestive juices flowing before you ravish the Paella.

Oh, and by the way, when we proudly place the Paella in front of you, we also set down a medley of fresh vegetables that include broccoli, cauliflower, beans and carrots. It seems like most people go straight for the Paella though, and save the vegetables for last in case they have room left over.

Seafood Paella (A generalized recipe, not used at Marbella)

Serves four (ideal for a 13- or 14-inch paella pan).

This paella is good when served with lemon wedges, but it's even better when spread with a bit of alioli, a garlic mayonnaise that is the Spanish version of the French aioli. To make alioli, add a few cloves of chopped garlic and a large pinch of salt to a mini-food processor (or a mortar), process (or pound with a pestle) until very fine, and then slowly drizzle in olive oil to make a thick, mayonnaise-like consistency. Add lemon juice to taste, and process again.

1/3 lb. shrimp, peeled (reserve the shells for broth)
Pinch of saffron threads
Salt to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 lb. scallops (or calamari, cut in rings)
1/2 onion, grated on the largest holes of a box grater
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 ripe tomato, halved and grated on the largest holes of a box grater (discard the skin)
1 1/2 cups medium grain rice
8 small mussels or clams (1/2 lb.), scrubbed
1 lemon, cut in wedges for garnish
In a medium saucepan, boil 3 1/2 cups of salted water. Add the shrimp shells and simmer, covered, for about 10 min. Strain the broth, and return it to the saucepan. Toast the saffron gently (in a dry skillet or toaster oven), crush the threads with the back of a spoon, and add to the shrimp shell broth. Taste for salt; the broth should be well-seasoned.

In a 14-inch paella pan, heat the oil on high. Meanwhile, pat dry the shrimp and scallops (or calamari). When the oil is hot, sauté the shrimp and scallops until almost cooked through, about 2 min. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Pour out all but 1 Tbs. of oil from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion softens, about 5 min. Add the tomato, season with salt, and sauté until the mixture, called the sofrito, has darkened and is a thick purée, 10 to 15 min.
Meanwhile, bring the shrimp shell broth back to a simmer. When the tomato-onion sofrito is ready, add the rice to the pan. Sauté until the rice loses its opaqueness, about 1 min. Increase the heat to medium-high. Pour in 3 cups of the simmering broth (reserving the remaining 1/2 cup) and stir or shake the pan to evenly distribute the rice in the pan.

As the liquid comes to a boil, arrange the mussels or clams in the pan, submerging them as much as possible below the level of the liquid. From this point on, do not stir the rice.

Cook the paella on medium-high, rotating and moving the pan over one or two burners to distribute the heat. When the rice begins to appear above the liquid, after 8 to 10 min., reduce the heat to medium low.

Continue to simmer, rotating the pan as necessary, until the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 min. more. Taste a grain of rice just below the top layer; it should be al dente. (If the rice is not done but all the liquid has been absorbed, sprinkle a bit of hot broth to the pan and cook a few minutes more.) Arrange the shrimp and scallops (or calamari) in the pan.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook gently for another 2 min. to help ensure that the top layer of rice is evenly cooked. With the foil still in place, increase the heat to medium-high and, rotating the pan, cook for about 2 min., until the bottom layer of rice starts to caramelize, creating the socarrat. The rice may crackle somewhat, but if it starts burning, remove the pan from the heat immediately.

Let the paella rest off the heat, still covered, for 5 min. Sit everyone down at a round or square table. Remove the foil and invite people to eat directly from the pan, starting at the perimeter, working toward the center, and squeezing lemon over their section, if they want.

Excellent Links:

10 Paella Recipes
A nice collection of recipes for making Spain's famous dish. Various versions include lobster, chorizo sausage, shrimp, mussels, clams, chicken and other tasty ingredients.

Guides to Spanish Cuisine
A list links to Spanish web sites offering information on the wines, foods, cooking styles and restaurants in The Kingdom of Spain.

Wine Spectator Magazine Online
Considered the "Most Comprehensive Wine Web Site in the World." Outstanding articles and reference materials on food, wine and the good life. Online subscription function is available.

Tienda
Spanish food delivered to your home.

Si, Spain
This interactive service "Sí, Spain" promotes free exchange of information on Spanish current affairs and its historical, linguistic and cultural development.

Spain & Portugal For Visitors by John Ross
John is a freelance writer and Spanish-English translator. He have lived in Spain for over fifteen years.

Ideal Spain
It calls itself the "Largest Internet Guide To Spain."

English Spanish Link
It offers a bilingual service for learning, practicing and improving Spanish or English, finding employment in Spain and South America and making friends with Spanish speakers.

Spanish Food Dictionary
Learn Spanish with this Spanish dictionary for Spanish food terms not normally included in Spanish dictionaries. Included are both individual words and also complete phrases, corresponding to typical Spanish dishes you might find in Spanish restaurants.

Mallorca Online
Good overview of the Island of Mallorca in Spain with guides to diving, cycling, golf, tennis, hotels, car rentals, maps, medical services, charter boats and more.

Marbella 2000
A must read for anyone interested in the seaside resort town of Marbella in Spain. Information on tourism offices, buildings, facilities, fiestas, traditions, sports, transportation, emergency services, beaches and ports is available.

Tourist's Guide to Marbella
A must read for anyone interested in the seaside resort town of Marbella in Spain. Information on tourism offices, buildings, facilities, fiestas, traditions, sports, transportation, emergency services, beaches and ports is available.