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Paella
Cooked slowly so all the flavours melt together, and always with a generous drizzle of our family’s olive oil.
A funny fact: in Spain, especially in the Valencia region, people are very particular about what counts as a real paella. If you add chorizo, for example… it’s no longer paella! 😅 A traditional paella Valenciana includes things like rabbit, ferradura (green beans), and garrofón (lima beans)... not what I’ve used here.
So let’s call this what they’d call it in Valencia: “arroz con cosas”, rice with stuff.
And honestly? It’s delicious stuff.
We don’t overcomplicate it. We build layers of flavour, slowly, lovingly and let each ingredient speak. The secret? Quality ingredients. Especially the olive oil. I use our Vezorla Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil, from my family grove in Andalusia. It doesn’t just fry, it transforms. The aroma alone tells you something good is coming.
🍚 Ingredients (for 4 people):
- 4 tablespoons Vezorla Picual Traditional EVOO
- 500g pork (cut into small cubes – or substitute with chicken or rabbit)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 6 garlic cloves
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 ripe tomato, grated
- A good pinch of saffron threads
- 1/2 tbsp sweet paprika
- 3 bay leaves
- 500g raw shrimp (or prawns, or jumbo shrimp – your choice)
- 500g calamari
- 1 1/2 cup Spanish round rice (like bomba)
- Boiling water (enough to generously cover the sofrito)
- ½ tbsp turmeric
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Let the oil tell the story:
In a wide pot or paella pan, heat 4 tablespoons of Vezorla Picual EVOO. At the same time, place a pot of water on another burner to start heating, this way, your broth will be boiling when you need it.
Sprinkle a little salt into the oil to keep it from splattering. Once hot, add the pork cubes and season with a touch more salt and pepper. Let them brown slowly until golden and slightly crispy.
2. Build the sofrito, with depth and patience:
Add the squid to the pan and let it cook until it's lightly fried. Then add the chopped red and green peppers. Stir and let them cook down, absorbing the flavors from the meat and oil.
Once softened and fragrant, remove a few strips of each pepper and set them aside in a blender cup.
Grate the ripe tomato and stir it into the pan. While it fries, blend the reserved peppers with 6 garlic cloves and 1/2 cup white wine. This will become your flavor bomb.
3. Bloom the spices:
When the tomato is fried, add the saffron. Let it toast gently, then add the paprika. Lower the heat or briefly remove the pan to prevent burning—the paprika should bloom, not turn bitter.
Add the bay leaves and pour in the blended mixture. Let it simmer for 5 minutes so the aromas marry.
4. Invite the sea:
Add the shrimp and sauté them until just pink, about 2 minutes. Then stir in the rice, coating every grain in the sofrito. This step is key for depth of flavor.
5. Pour the passion:
Now pour in the boiling water, just enough to generously cover the entire mixture. Stir once to distribute everything evenly. From this point on, don’t stir again.
Add the turmeric, parsley, and more salt if needed. Let the paella cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the broth has mostly absorbed. It should be moist, almost creamy (meloso). If you prefer it soupier, just add more water.
6. Let it rest, then serve with pride:
Remove from heat and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the paella rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a final drizzle of Vezorla Picual EVOO if you wish, and enjoy every forkful, filled with stories, warmth, and the taste of Spain.
Let me know if you try it. I’d love to hear how it turns out in your kitchen!