A Word on Paella

Some Spanish and Portuguese dishes utilise a short-grained rice similar to the Italian varieties. Rice grown near Valencia in Spain is used for the famous Paella dishes of this region. Spanish ‘Arroz’ behaves slightly differently to Italian risotto, and produces less creamy results. Some of this is down to the cooking method. Whereas a risotto is always on the move around the pan, a Paella is barely stirred: this means that less of the starchy, outer layers in the rice are broken down. You can ape paella using Italian rice, but it won’t be quite so nutty or pearly as the real thing. Luckily, many supermarkets and delis now carry ‘paella rice’. Our favourite variety is Calasparra, often sold in handy 1-kilo sacks. It is worth seeking out one of these for the recipes.