Most non Spaniards consider paella as a national dish but Spaniards attribute this to Valencia. Moors in Muslim Spain started rice cultivation since 10th century. Rice has been made into casseroles using fish and spices since then and it really symbolizes the union of two cultures – Roman and Arabic.
To make a good paella, you need to use Bomba rice, saffron and really good full bodied stock. I feel your paella is only as good as your stock. If you don’t have a paella pan, use a stainless steel pan but do not use cast iron or non-stick pans. If you use a heavy bottomed pan, you will not get the very desirable soccarat. Soccarat is the rice that gets crunchy and forms a crust at the bottom of the pan.
INGREDIENTS
200 grams monk fish fillets, cut into 5cm pieces
200 grams mussels, remove beards and scrub the shells
300 grams large prawns with their tails intact
250 grams bomba or calasparra rice