Rice

There’s a preconception that Spanish rice is festival food, the grain to use in a Costa del Sol paella, which goes hand in hand with the stereotype of sand, sun and sangría. You can have as many prawns and lobsters in your paella as you want, but unless the rice is cooked properly, it is not a proper paella.

Rice, and Spanish rice in particular, are simple grains that require nurturing throughout the cooking process. The rice should absorb the flavours of the other ingredients without being overwhelmed by them. To put it basically — you need to be able to taste the rice.