PAELLA
A good paella needs love, time, patience, a large pan or "Paellera" to cook rice along with any combination of vegetables and meat, seafood or chicken, as you prefer. Each cook has it's own creation.
I will give you the basic recipe, for a seafood paella we made last Saturday with Lysanne and Alejo, and both families together.
Once you have tried it, you may be as creative as you wish... Bon Apetit!!!
Basics. paella may be served with a good bodied red wine. We like Torres, a great Spanish wine.
For 8 servings:
4 cups rice. *I like brown, Ricardo likes long grain, my son likes parboiled rice... they all work.
8 cups seafood or chicken broth, or canned consomme.
1/ teaspoon of saffron *hidrate in 1/4 cup water or broth, set aside.
Salt, pepper
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely cut
2 Tablespoons (Tbs) finely chopped parsley, and a bunch of fresh parsley for garnish, at the end
2 cups of chopped Vegetables: carrots, green beans, broccoli, snow peas, petit pois,  your choice.
2 cups chopped, seeded, peeled tomatoes or 1 kg can of chopped tomatoes
1 red sweet pepper, cut in strips or 1/2 cup of peeled cut red peppers in brine *without the liquid
1 yellow or 1 green pepper, cut in strips
1 cup sweet peas
Add any combination of the following:
For Meat Paella:
8 chicken skinned breast pieces
8 skinned chicken thighs
8 pork ribs, cut in small pieces
1 lb lean beef or pork, cut in squares
For mixed meats Paella:
Your choice of meats, 2 cups of diced meat (pork, veal, chicken, beef)
100 g sliced Spanish chorizo, Italian sausage (mild or hot, up to your taste)
100 g sliced chopped pancheta or bacon, fried and dried
For Seafood Paella:
1/2 lb skinned, of red snapper, yellow grouper or any fish you like*check for no bones,
1 lb. mixed frozen seafood
1 lb. of any of the following: calamari rings, or clean fresh calamari cut in pieces;
1 lb medium size shrimp
16 large shrimp to garnish on top
Other possible additions:
lobster tails, large shrimp. Add them at #6.
Or 100 g. chorizo, thinly sliced
Preparation
1. Start with the oil in the paellera and add garlic and onions until golden color, not brown, burned
2. Heat broth, add the saffron, set aside. Keep hot.
3. Add carrots, tomatoes, mix, add the rice. Mix and boil 2 or 3 minutes and when boiling add the hot broth. Mix.
4. Add meats or chicken if you have chosen this type of paella.
5. Let boil without stirring for 10 minutes.
6. If the paella has seafood, now add it along with the medium size shrimp, salt and pepper, taste.
(save the large shrimp with strips of red pepper for last, before covering the paella)
7. Add the rest of the vegetables. Mix softly, stirring evenly.
8. Let it boil down until no water is on the surface in mediun heat. Stir once, mixing everything, then add the garnish on top: large shrimp and pepper strips decorating the top of the paella. Add chopped parsley. Then cover with aluminum foil, and / or lid.
9. Lower heat to medium-low, checking that it continues boiling softly but will not burn.
10. Let it cook hands off, for 15 minutes. Watch the steam. No steam, it is starting to burn!
When the paella is ready, all the rice is evenly cooked.
Un cover, let stand 5 minutes and serve.
Leftover paella is even better the following day! Salud.