Mediterranean Cooking

Paella

Cava de Guarda Superior Gran Reserva Siviendo.png

This Cava is the ultimate in complexity. With great aromatic intensity, Cava Gran Reserva stands out for having its own personality and complex aroma, thanks to more than 30 months aging in bottle.

40 minutes

Difficulty

4 people

Seafood

Paella, like black rice, has its origins in the Mediterranean. There is of course the traditional Valencian paella that needs to be cooked with very specific ingredients – this is a recipe that admits few variations. When put together with the word ‘paella’, the adjective ‘Valencian’ is usually a source of endless discussions.

We’re going to cook a paella, but it won’t be a traditional Valencian one. Ours is a paella specially designed to pair with a Cava Gran Reserva (aged for more than 30 months), so we’ve chosen ingredients that will give a better mouthfeel.

Ingredients

400g Bomba rice

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

800-1000 ml fish stock

1 large onion

150g a puréed tomato sauce with a hint of onion and garlic

200g green beans

120g peas

250 g Prawns (allow 1 or two per person, depending on size)

500g mussels

Salt

Paprika (Spanish Pimentón de La Vera if possible)

Instructions

Wash the prawns and clean the mussels with the aid of a knife. Set aside.

Peel the onion, and grate finely. Set aside.

Wash the green beans and cut in half. Set these aside too.

The peas, whether frozen or canned, need to be boiled and set aside.

Place a paellera or frying pan on the heat and add the oil.

When the oil is hot, add the grated onion, and when it turns golden add the tomato.

Next, once the tomato and onion are well blended, add the prawns. Cook on both sides so that they release some of their juices, taking great care not to break them as you flip them over.

Add the reserved vegetables and the Bomba rice. Cook briefly, stirring with the aid of a wooden spoon. As soon as you see that the rice is well coated with the tomato and onion, add the paprika together with the fish stock.

Cook for 10 minutes, then add the mussels. Aim to distribute them evenly over the rice.

Allow to cook for another 20 minutes, and your paella will be ready.

Now all that remains is to serve, and to enjoy with a good cava to enhance the flavours of all those wonderful ingredients that make paella such a temptingly delicious dish. And don’t forget that this recipe combines best with a Cava Gran Reserva (aged for more than 30 months).

Tips

Rice: we suggest Bomba rice, but you could also use other varieties. You’ll need to adjust the cooking time, and also the amount of stock you use, depending on which variety you choose.

Sénia or Bahía rice need 2.5 parts stock to one-part rice, whereas round grain rice needs 3 or 3.5 parts stock to one-part rice. Cooking time will vary too, so you’ll need to check frequently to check to see when it’s cooked.

Stock: we advise using home-made stock, but if you don’t have any to hand, the dish can be prepared using a commercial brand available from the supermarket.

Rest your rice: if you see that the grains are still a bit hard when you take the pan off the heat, while it’s resting cover your rice with a clean, damp (not wet) cloth. The warmth and humidity will soften the grains.

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