Paelya — Spain

In Spain, paelya (locally called paella) is a wide, shallow rice dish, cooked uncovered in a broad flat pan that gives the dish its name. Short or medium-grain rice is simmered in a seasoned stock until every grain has absorbed the liquid, colour and aroma of saffron, leaving the rice separate rather than creamy. The pan is brought to the table and shared directly from it, spoon by spoon. The dish is reported from the Valencia region and is cooked across much of Spain today, with countless local combinations of meat, vegetables and seafood built on the same rice-and-saffron base. This entry follows the version cooked with chicken and vegetables, a widely made pairing alongside the seafood versions found on the coast. The name paelya, used across the wider Paelya family on this site, refers to the same wide-pan method wherever it travels. A wide paella pan is heated with olive oil, and chicken pieces are browned first, followed by green beans or another vegetable of choice. A sofrito of grated tomato, garlic and sweet paprika is cooked down in the same pan, then the rice is stirred in to coat it in the fat before hot stock infused with saffron threads is poured over. The pan is left to simmer without stirring, so the rice cooks evenly and a thin crust, called socarrat, forms on the bottom. The dish rests briefly, covered with a cloth, before serving. The result depends heavily on the pan staying shallow and wide enough that the rice cooks in a single layer rather than piling up, since an uneven depth of rice will cook unevenly. Rosemary sprigs, lemon wedges and a final rest under a cloth are common finishing touches, and the crust at the bottom of the pan is often considered the most prized part of the dish by those sharing it.