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E
ating outdoors is one of my favourite
pastimes, whether it is a barbecue
or picnic. I think nothing compares to
sitting in the sun and having a relaxing
meal outdoors.
This time of year is perfect for the odd cold
glass of vino or a cold beer and some yummy
food.
Nowhere does eating outdoors quite like the
Spanish, and here in the summer months is
the closest we get to being in Spain when
everything (and everybody) seems so relaxed.
Now I know what mañana means...
Spain is famous for its paella and this dish was
made for outdoor eating.
Paella originated in Spain and was derived
from a leftover dish dating from Roman times.
It was developed and was popularised in Va-
lencia, where the Romans introduced irrigation,
and then the Arab conquerors that brought rice
perfected it.
Many folk say the best paella, and most
authentic, still comes from Valencia.
The paella pan is characterised by being round
with a flat bottom and can be anywhere from
thge size an LP record, 12inches in diameter,
to several feet.
The one thing that doesn’t change is the
height. It is about first-joint-in-the-thumb deep
as the Spanish would say, so that the rice has
maximum contact with the bottom of the pan.
Traditionally, paella p is cooked over an open
fire. The Mediterranean is known for developing
the art of frying, because of the lack of good
slow-burning firewood. The available branches
are of high acid content that make a very hot
fire.
Depending on the region in Spain, the meats
and vegetables added to the paella vary.
It can have several meats, including rabbit,
chicken, Spanish smoked sausage like Chorizo
and even hare, or no meats. Snails are com-
mon too.
Seafood for me is the most exciting part of
great paella, almost anything will do but most
popular are prawns or crevettes, mussels,
clams, lobster and crab, octopus and squid.
Fish can also be added, but make sure it is
added in later so it doesn’t break up. A good
fish to use would be monkfish, gurnard or even
hake.
Simon Rhodes owns:
The Lobster Pot Fishmongers. Cobbs Farmshop, Bath Road,
Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 0SP
Telephone: 01488 686770
Al aire libre
Start by heating some extra virgin olive oil in a paella pan
or a flat pan.
Sweat down some finely chopped onions (Spanish of
course), and add some crushed garlic.
Next, add a good glug of white wine and then the rice.
Stir in the rice and add the stock, chicken or fish will do.
Then, like a risotto, keep adding the stock a little at a
time.
As you go along add the various meats and shellfish.
The meats such as chicken and rabbit should be added
before the shellfish as they take a bit longer to cook.
Essential spices for paella are paprika and saffron, these
should be added to enhance the flavour and give it a
vibrant rich yellow colour.
Don’t forget to season and make sure the rice is just
cooked before serving with plenty of chopped parsley.
At the Lobster Pot we have all the ingredients to make a
great paella, so why not pop in and say ¡hola!.
The summer months and opportunity to eat outdoors are all too short in this
country. However, we tend to make the most of the longer evenings and SIMON
RHODES suggests Spanish paella is a great alternative to the traditional barbecue
How to make