Paella Valenciana (Spanish Saffron Rice with Chicken and Rabbit)
Paella Valenciana is a traditional rice dish from the Valencia region of Spain, cooked in a wide, shallow steel pan with saffron-tinted short-grain rice, chicken, rabbit, and green beans. The chicken and rabbit are seared first to build a fond on the pan's surface, which the rice absorbs as it cooks in the broth. Saffron must be bloomed in hot stock beforehand to extract its color and aroma evenly across every grain. Once the rice goes in, it is never stirred - the undisturbed bottom layer forms the socarrat, a caramelized crust of toasted rice that defines an authentic paella. In the final three minutes, the heat is raised to drive off remaining moisture, leaving grains that are firm on the outside and moist within, sitting atop a crackling golden crust.
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Instructions
- 1
Soak saffron in warm water for 5 minutes.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a paella pan and brown chicken and rabbit.
- 3
Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes, then add beans and paprika.
- 4
Add broth and saffron water, bring to boil, spread rice evenly.
- 5
Cook uncovered on medium heat 18 minutes, then low heat 5 minutes for socarrat.
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