IAN & SPAIN

Gazpacho Manchego originates in La Mancha, and it is actually mentioned in the book “Don Quijote de la Mancha” with one of its other names "Galiano". It was the shepherds of La Mancha that created this dish, and in fact, Galiano means "glen". This happens to be one of my wife’s favourites dishes, as it reminds her of her roots. 

Even though it carries the name Manchego, it is eaten in many areas, especially the Spanish regions of Madrid, Alicante and Valencia. There are also similar dishes, which are eaten in other countries, including Gaspacho Oranais which is eaten in the North-West of Algeria. 

This is mainly a game meat stew eaten with unleavened bread which happens to be its most peculiar ingredient. Originally the plate for gazpacho manchego was the unleavened bread itself, which is where the popular saying comes from “de los gazpachos se come hasta la cuchara y el plato".

 Unleavened bread was the first type of bread that humanity ever knew and as such it was consumed for thousands of years; prepared with whole wheat flour, it was cooked on stones over the fire or directly on the embers.

In the past Gazpacho Manchego was left on the bread until the bread was soaked and the consistency resembled a tortilla. There's a variation, which is called gazpacho pastor, from Cuenca, which is not allowed to soak, so it's more like a broth. However today the bread is more commonly incorporated directly into the stew during the cooking process.

Also back in the old days, people would often bake their own unleavened bread to use in this soup, and there can be no doubt that this is the best way to make this dish. However, that can be a lot of work and many Spanish supermarkets sell ready-made versions of the bread. 

It is not exactly the lightest of dishes, so avoid any starters before tackling this wholesome winter meal. Nevertheless, if you are a true food lover, Gazpacho Manchego is a must. I still remember my first plate to this very day and they left an everlasting impression. 

These are the ingredients for 6 people:

1/2 rabbit (make sure the liver is there)
1/2 free-range chicken
1 partridge (if you don't like partridge, substitute with another 1/2 of rabbit and chicken)
1 sliced onion 
1 full garlic head
1 red pepper
1 green pepper 
150g mushrooms
300 g grated tomato (without the skin - tinned will also do)
Olive oil
Saffron
Salt
Peppercorns
3 Bay leafs
Thyme
Approx. 3 litres water
300-500g  2-3 Packets of ‘Torta para gazpacho’ (pictured below)

Cut the partridge, the rabbit and the chicken into pieces or ask your butcher to do it for you.
Add all the meat to a pan with a large dash of extra virgin olive oil and start to fry the meat until it is nicely browned. Now add the tomato, the peppers, the onion, the whole garlic (unpeeled), the bay leaves, a sprig of thyme and about 20 peppercorns and fry for a further 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat up the water and when you have finished frying add the water to the pan until it nicely covers all the meat. If you have any left keep it on hold for later just in case. Let it boil for about 30 minutes. After 15 minutes of boiling add the mushrooms and the saffron and test for salt. If the stock runs too low (below the level of the meat) and it starts to dry up just add some more hot water.

When it has finished boiling, remove from the heat. Take the meat out of the pan along with the garlic and let them cool down so that you don’t burn your fingers. Now take the meat off the bones (best to use fingers) and also peel the garlic (it should just pop out of the skin). 

Once it has all been deboned check the Gazpacho for any other small bones that might have been left in the stock and remove them. Most people just leave the bones in, but it so much nicer not having to worry about them. Return all the meat and garlic to the pan and the stock and add the unleavened bread pieces, one bag at a time, depending on your stock level.

The bread will soak up the stock so be careful, we don’t want it to soak up all the stock. Mix them in well and cook for a further 5 minutes and then let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. They go great with a glass of red wine and some crusty bread. I know it doesn't look very appetising but the flavour is out of this world!

Enjoy!

One of the easiest Spanish recipes and probably the most travelled of them all is the Spanish potato omelette. But when such a simple dish has become an important part of a staple diet it tends to convert into an art form in Spain. There are over 40 million people in Spain and probably 20 million different ways of making a Spanish omelette.

Everyone has there own personal touch that makes it slightly different. This is very similar to a fried egg, simple in essence but believe me a simple fried or poached egg can be a raving success or a disaster. There is a fine line between culinary heaven and mundane foodstuff. Exactly the same thing goes for the Tortilla Española. Having so few ingredients each must be prepared to perfection and the main trick lies in the timing.

Eggs are eggs and potatoes are potatoes pretty much anywhere in the world so finding decent ingredients won’t be a problem here. I have eaten hundreds of Spanish omelettes and I imagine most that are reading my blog have done so too. I’ve eaten really thick ones, really thin ones, ones loaded with potato, ones with hardly any potato, but the vast majority are really dry and overcooked meaning it’s almost compulsory to add a bit of mayonnaise so your mouth doesn’t dry up! But every now and again you come across a tortilla that takes you by surprise and you say WOW! What is it that is different about this omelette? For me it’s a “tortilla” that isn’t too thick or too thin, is nicely browned but isn’t dry in the middle giving it moisture and thus there is no need to add anything else. I also prefer it with onion as it gives it that extra edge of flavour, a sweeter touch.

Maintaining that moisture is quite complicated as eggs are so easily overcooked and when you take it off the pan it keeps cooking on the inside so really it’s a question of practice makes perfect as the eggs are never the same size and nor are the potatoes so giving exact cooking times is a bit pointless. However I am going to share some guidelines that I learnt from a “Master Tortilla Maker”, as I call her, but she is more commonly known and Maribel! Our good friend’s mother, who is now 77 going on 27 with a heart of gold and a love for life, has been making omelettes every week for as long as she can remember, well over 60 years, so I would say she is an expert on the subject. Not a week goes by without making one and Maribel is a Spanish food encyclopaedia and still spends most of her life in the kitchen working, although fortunately for her she really enjoys it. 

Recently we paid her a visit and lo and behold she was making a tortilla...again, so I thought “perfect!” this is the opportunity to share her secrets with you all and take a few photos to help in the process. I’m not bad at it myself but she makes it look so effortless, the way she finely chips the potatoes directly into the oiled pan without even looking with a small knife and at a speed akin to nimble young women. No chopping board, no potato peeler, nothing, just a small sharp knife and a pair of hands, chipping away at a rate of knots and before you have realised it she had three chipped and in the frying pan only to be followed by an onion which was also chopped up in a blink of an eye. I had to tell old Maribel to slow down otherwise I’d miss out on interesting photos! But she said, “You speed up, you’re the young one!” so that put me in my place and I quickly managed to grab some photos to share with you. Maribel said “It’s just an omelette what’s all the fuss about? But Maribel’s omelette isn’t just any omelette.  So what is Maribel’s secret? Well, it’s quite simple, so I will run you through the steps.  

For a normal Spanish omelette, you’ll need three medium-sized potatoes, one large onion, 4 large free-range eggs, salt and some good extra virgin olive oil. This will serve 4 adults as part of a main meal or 8 as a light tapas. If you want to make it bigger and thicker just multiply the ingredients accordingly.

If you don’t think you're as nimble as Maribel then you should chop up the potato and the onion before heating the pan, because if you are too slow the first potato chips will cook faster than the last ones. So to be on the safe side you need to chip the potatoes before. I don’t mean cut them into slices or chip shapes but cut away at the potato with a knife as if you were carving a wooden sculpture and cutting off large uneven chips of wood. The pieces of potato shouldn’t really be much bigger than a 50p coin and no thicker than say two 50p coins if you get what I mean…we don’t want them very thick not too thin but it doesn’t matter if some parts are thicker than others and that every chip is different, this helps them to hold together better and the omelette has less chance of breaking up and it is also easier to cook all the potato uniformly. Chopping them unevenly also means some parts of the potato chips brown slightly giving the tortilla more flavour. There is nothing worse than having cooked and undercooked potato together in an omelette so be careful not to cut really thick pieces of potato. Cut the onion into quarters and then slice it up but not too finely. Some people fry the potatoes and the onions separately but here we are going to do it together. If you do them separately make sure the onions go really soft and don't burn.

At this point, we are going to need two deep frying pans, one to cook the potatoes and then one to make the omelette. We aren’t going to use the same pan. We need a wider frying pan to evenly cook the potatoes and onion and then a smaller frying pan to get the thickness for the omelette.

Pour some extra virgin olive oil into the pan being careful not to pour too much, we are not deep frying the potatoes so just cover the pan all over leaving about 1 mm of oil across the pan and put it on medium heat, let the oil heat up and then reduce to a low heat straight away. At this point, we need to add the potato and the onion and season with salt. Cook the onions and the potato on a low heat for about 20 minutes until they are well cooked, remember we are not frying them so we don’t want to brown them too much or make them go crispy, towards the end they will slightly brown in parts and that is fine but if they brown too quickly your heat is too high and if they go crispy you have too much oil in the pan too. If they absorb all the olive oil and it looks like they are drying up don’t be afraid to add a little more olive oil while cooking.

Once they are cooked you need to beat the four eggs together. Maribel has a great little trick but takes a little practice; she beats her eggs on a plate and not in a bowl helping to air the egg mixture making it lighter and spongier. Another trick is to beat the egg whites first and then the yolks. Once beaten the eggs should have air bubbles all over the surface of the egg mix, season with salt and put to one side. Wait for the potatoes to cool down a bit and pour a little olive oil in the smaller non-stick frying pan and add the potatoes. 

Next, we add the beaten eggs, let them sit for about 10 minutes so the egg mixture has well and truly settled amongst the potato and filled every nook and cranny, shake the frying pan to help evenly spread out the potatoes. Now you can put the frying pan on low heat and start cooking the omelette.

Once the eggs have set grab a plate which is larger than the diameter of the pan and place on top of the frying pan to turn the omelette over, slide the omelette back into the pan and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Turn the omelette over again cook for another 30-40 seconds then turn it over again until both sides are slightly browned but not too much. Remove from the pan and place on a serving plate. It is now ready to eat. There are millions of ideas as to what the perfect tortilla is but for me it is one that is nicely cooked on the outside but still moist and slightly liquid in the centre, so it is not cooked all the way through, this timing takes practice but when you get the balance right it is a real delight. What would otherwise be a heavy dry omelette becomes a fantastic culinary masterpiece that needs nothing added except for a slice of thick crusty bread, to clean the plate!  Enjoy!

In the vibrant heart of Valencia, a centuries-old ritual takes place daily that blends tradition, community, and a hearty appetite. This cherished custom is known as "the Almuerzo," or "esmorzaret" in the Valencian language. Although the term translates directly to "lunch," this mid-morning break is distinctly different from conventional lunch traditions. Instead, it represents a special moment when the city collectively pauses, gathers, and indulges in a culinary experience that is as comforting as the Spanish sun.

For Valencians who rise early, the hours leading up to the typical 2 or 3 pm lunch can feel endless. Breakfast often consists of a mere café con leche and a tostada, making the wait until lunch rather lengthy. Enter the Almuerzo—a culinary bridge that fills the gap between the early morning and the leisurely afternoon.

This tradition originated as sustenance for the working class and manual labourers but has since transcended its humble beginnings to become a beloved practice for residents from all walks of life. Typically enjoyed between 9 and 11:30 AM, the Almuerzo offers the perfect opportunity for friends, colleagues, and anyone in need of a hearty mid-morning break to come together. It's an affair that's usually quite affordable, costing between 5-8 euros, and offers a taste of local life far removed from usual tourist haunts.

The ritual begins with a simple yet charming spread. Shared bowls of peanuts, olives, and pickles are placed on the table, setting the stage for the star of the Almuerzo—the bocadillo, or sandwich. These are no ordinary sandwiches; they showcase Valencia's rich culinary diversity.

There are classic options such as sepia (cuttlefish) and calamar (squid), as well as the "blanco y negro" (a sausage and morcilla black pudding combo). You might also find "chivito," a local take on a BLT featuring pork, bacon, fried egg, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and mayonnaise, or the ever-popular tortilla de patata (Spanish omelette). Each participating establishment usually has its own unique specialties, making every Almuerzo experience slightly different yet equally delightful. Accompanying this treat is the standard beverage—a cold beer. In Valencia, it's never too early for a cerveza.

To conclude the meal, the traditional Valencian cremaet takes centre stage. This sweetened, layered drink typically features enflamed brandy, mixed with espresso, cinnamon, orange peel, and a few coffee beans. It serves as the local variant of the espresso martini, delivering a warm, spirited end to the meal and a jolt of energy to help you power through the rest of your day.

For a hearty sandwich, a cold beer, and a cremaet or espresso, the cost typically ranges from 5-8 euros- a small price for an immersive dive into local culture.

Embracing the Almuerzo means more than just enjoying a meal; it means participating in a living tradition that captures the very essence of Valencian culture. Whether you are a local or a visitor, the experience offers an enchanting foray into the soul of Valencia. To find the best places to 'Almorzar' just ask the locals - everyone knows at least one great place!

The allure of the Almuerzo lies in its simplicity and the sense of community it fosters. It remains a tradition where the lines between residents and visitors blur, allowing everyone to partake in a slice of Valencian life. From the humble peanuts and olives that start the feast to the final sip of coffee, the Almuerzo is a delightful reminder of the rich cultural heritage and unpretentious enjoyment that define Valencia.

What is the Cacau D'Or?

The Cacau D'Or is an annual competition that awards the best almuerzos in the Valencian Community. The competition is judged by a panel of experts who consider factors such as the quality of the ingredients, the presentation of the food, and the overall dining experience. The Cacau D'Or is a prestigious award that is highly coveted by restaurants in the Valencian Community. Here are the winners from the past 5 years - they will probably be a good place to start!

1. Bajoqueta Bar: The Bajoqueta Bar is a Valencian institution that has been serving up delicious almuerzos for over 30 years. Their bocadillos are made with fresh, local ingredients and are some of the best in the city.
2. Bar El Kiosko: Located in the Turia Gardens, El Kiosko is a popular spot for both locals and tourists. It's a great place to enjoy a relaxed almuerzo surrounded by greenery. Their variety of bocadillos and refreshing drinks make it a perfect mid-morning stop.  
3. Ca Rakel (2023): This bar in Poblats Marítims has been awarded a special prize for its famous “Almussafes” sandwich.
4. Casa Montaña: Casa Montaña, situated in the historic El Cabanyal neighbourhood, is not just a great spot for almuerzo but also a renowned wine bar. Their menu features traditional Valencian dishes and a variety of fresh tapas that are perfect for a mid-morning feast.  
5. Bar Ricardo: Located in the heart of Valencia, Bar Ricardo is a local favourite known for its generous portions and friendly atmosphere. Their bocadillos (sandwiches) are legendary, especially the “blanco y negro” filled with morcilla and longaniza. 

If you are looking a little further afield or outside the centre, take a look at this MAP of the best places to Almorzar in the Valencian Community created by the Blog Almuerzos Populares! 

In a world of fast food and hurried meals, the Almuerzo stands as a testament to the value of slowing down, savouring the moment, and breaking bread with those around you. It is a ritual that encourages taking a pause in the middle of a bustling day to connect, share stories, and appreciate the flavours that make Valencian cuisine truly unique.

Enjoy!

Now Autumn is around the corner, Spain's forests are giving birth to wild mushrooms or Níscalos as they are called here, and they are popping up all over the country.

Any pine forest around the country should have Níscalos, but at least two intense rainfalls within a maximum period of 40 days are necessary to bring them to the surface and get them growing. The wild mushrooms need around 21 days to grow to a reasonable size so you will need to keep an eye on the weather.

Mushrooms will normally pop up in open sunny areas if they have received abundant rainfall, but if they haven’t they will be more likely to appear in the shaded damp areas of the forests. However, I strongly recommend if you go out one day to collect these wild mushrooms, you do it with someone who understands what is what and which ones are still edible and which ones aren’t as there are poisonous Níscalos too which are similar in shape and colour. I also recommend you check for local restrictions, as there are regional bylaws sometimes which limit the amount, and when, you are allowed to collect mushrooms.

Mushroom picking can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. I for one have been fortunate enough to go Níscalo  (called Rebollónes here in Valencia) picking in Valencia, Castellon and the Sierra of Madrid accompanied by experimented “mushroom hunters” as they humorously referred to themselves as “Cazadores de Setas”! There is a skill in identifying where these mushrooms hide, as they are not always visible to the eye at first and it is necessary to separate the loose pine needles and grass on the forest floor to discover them and then dig them out. If you have the chance to go I highly recommend it as it is a great day out to get some fresh air and at the end of the day you will have a wonderfully tasty reward.

The grill or the BBQ are the perfect pieces of equipment for cooking mushrooms. Because mushrooms contain a high percentage of water they remain moist under high, direct heat. As they lose moisture the flavour of the mushroom (and anything you've put on them) is intensified. Purists will tell you that you shouldn’t wash your mushrooms in water. Mushrooms should be gently brushed off any remaining dirt or debris, washing should be a last resort as it will affect the final flavour. If you do wash them make sure you dry them straight away with a kitchen towel and wash them quickly. A small paintbrush or even a toothbrush is ideal for cleaning them, but admittedly it can be time-consuming.

No matter where I have picked Níscalos I have pretty much always ended up eating them the same way. Grilled on the barbecue with a dressing made from fresh parsley, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. This is very easy, dice up a few garlic cloves making sure you remove the heart (root) of the garlic and then chop up some fresh parsley. Next. mix them in a bowl with extra virgin olive oil, a fruity Picual is ideal. Blend it all together to make the dressing. You can also blend this in a blender if you don’t want any bits but I prefer it slightly more rustic. Place the mushrooms on the barbecue upside down and with a teaspoon just pour the dressing over the mushrooms, season with a little salt and cook until they are ready. There is no need to turn them over. Once ready just eat them and they are divine!

Another variant is to bake and grill them. Place all the mushrooms upside down on the baking tray sprinkle chopped parsley and chopped garlic over the mushrooms and then sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of each mushroom. Finally drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top, season with a little salt and put them in a pre-heated oven (top and bottom) at around 200ºC for about 20-30 min (depending on the size of the mushrooms) until the breadcrumbs have gone golden and the mushrooms are cooked. Remove them and squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the mushrooms and serve.  

If you can’t find them in the wild they will soon be available in the shops so there is no excuse for not trying this wonderful seasonal appetiser. Whichever way you prepare them I am sure you will get hooked on them.

Enjoy!

Arroz con Costra is yet another great Spanish rice dish that is relatively simple to make and tastes delicious. Claimed to be from the Southern-Alicante/Murcia region of Spain, this rice dish is a perfect example of how different cooking techniques are blended between regions.

Alicante is one of Spain's best regions for rice dishes, after Valencia where the ever-famous paella originated. However this dish is an unusual blend between a casserole and a paella, and when including an egg crust, it makes for a very unique but traditional dish.

The name of the dish, 'Arroz con costra' derives from this 'egg topping' - 'costra' means ‘crust’ in Spanish when used with food. This is because when the egg is baked on the top of the rice casserole, it turns into a tasty crust that compliments the meal exquisitely.

In this recipe, it is customary to include a typical Spanish sausage called 'butifarra blanca'. This is a white sausage and is typical of Murcia and the Valencian Community. The sausage is white as it is only made from pork meat. However, if you can't find Butifarra blanca you can replace it with a similar white sausage. 

Similarly, chicken is used in this recipe but many traditional versions of the dish use rabbit so you can choose whichever you prefer.

The largest dish of Crusty rice ever to be cooked ever was made using 1,500 eggs, 100 kilograms of rice and 120 kilograms of rabbit. The dish, which provided 1,500 servings, made it into the Guinness Book of World Records, helping immortalise the dish forever.

This is what you will need for 6 servings -  Crusty Rice with Spare Ribs and Chicken

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Olive oil

• ½ lb spare ribs, chopped

• 2 butifarras blancas, cut into 2cm thick slices (optional)

• ½ lb pork loin, cut into large cubes

• 6 chicken legs

• 1½ tsps salt

• 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 2 cups Spanish round rice

• 6 eggs, beaten

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 230ºC (450ºF).

• Heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat in a large (around 30 centimetres in diameter), deep casserole dish. Add the spareribs, sausage slices, pork and chicken and cook, turning as necessary, for around 10 minutes or until the meat is nicely golden brown all over, turning to a slight crisp.

• Add the salt and the tomatoes to the pan and mix well.

• In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to the boil and then turn down the heat, but keep it at a slight simmer. It needs to be hot when you add it to the rest of the dish.

• Add the paprika to the casserole dish containing the meat and tomato mixture and mix briskly to mix the flavour in. Then add the stock to the mixture and turn up the heat to high, bringing it all to the boil quickly

• Add the rice and stir the mixture to blend it with the rest of the ingredients, and make sure that it is evenly distributed throughout.

• Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes without stirring.

• Next, place the casserole dish in the oven and bake it for 10 minutes or until the rice has become soft and absorbed most of the stock. Pour the beaten eggs evenly over the surface of the rice and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the eggs forms a crust on the top of the dish.

• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

 What a market! If only all local markets were the same. I have to say that Valencia’s central market is really something special, not only from a culinary point of view but also from a tourist’s point of view. Every time I walk through its doors two wishes come into my head: 1. That I lived closer to it and 2. I could afford to buy there every day! It is not cheap by Spanish standards but then again the delicacies on sale here aren’t normally on your daily menú. When I say delicacies I mean a wonderful array of fresh seafood brought in direct from the Lonja auction and one of the most established stands is Pepa Puerto which offered some spectacular Scampi (cigalas), Caribineros (Scarlet Prawns) and Striped prawns from Denia, a delight for any rice dish or just on their own cooked over a griddle, you can even pick up some live eels which are very typical in this region for the famous dish All i Pebre. Unfortunately this time none came away with me. 

Local organic vegetable, fruits, hams, cheeses, chocolates, desserts, natural fruit juices, meat, local sausages, you name it, you’ll find it and all of the highest quality. This is what singles out Valencia’s market from others, its quality is outstanding and the choice on offer is unending. It is sheer heaven for any food lover and a must if you ever decide to visit Valencia. Surrounding the market building there are plenty of places to eat and enjoy some of the local food on offer from the market.

The Mercado Central itself is a spectacular piece of architecture and one of the most attractive and visited buildings in Valencia. Built between 1914 and 1928, Its architecture matches the aesthetics of the square and blends perfectly with two other important monuments: La Lonja de la Seda (the silk exchange) and the Church of Los Santos Juanes. It is undoubtedly the most representative building of early 20th century Valencia, a city which was advancing towards technological and commercial progress and felt proud of the agricultural potential of its farmland. The iron, glass and ceramic domes (the central one is 30 metres high) and the two weather vanes on top of them (in the shape of a parrot and a fish) blend into a typically Valencian skyline of towers and bell towers.

The market has always been renowned for the quality, variety and freshness of its products as well as the helpful, personalised service provided by traders that work there, all terribly proud of what they sell.
This impressive market is the largest and one of the oldest markets still running in Europe today and covers exactly 8,160 square metres divided into two areas or zones. The first one is an irregular shape with a surface area of nearly 7000 square metres and the other, which is octagonal and covers 1,400 square metres, houses the fish market. The basement, which has just under 8000 square metres, was previously a fish auction and is now used as a car park. The heritage behind this market goes back centuries as a market has been held here in the very same place since the early thirteenth century.

The market brings together almost 400 small traders and 1,500 people are involved in its daily activity. No other centre in Europe specialising in fresh products matches it in size. Additionally, it was the first market in the world to rise to the challenge of computerising sales and offering home delivery. Nowadays, the Mercado Central is an important economic focal point of Valencia, not only because of the traders but also because of the large number of tourists it receives, often it is the first port of call for all Cruise liner passengers when they reach Valencia. 

So if you ever happen to pass through Valencia, I highly recommend you pop in and savour the culinary wonders that Valencia has to offer.

Olives have been a staple of Mediterranean cuisine for thousands of years, cherished not only for their flavour but also for their versatility and nutritional value. People often think that table olives can come straight off the tree and into a jar with perhaps some seasoning, but this is not the case and far from it. The process of transforming the raw, bitter fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea) into the delectable table olives found on our plates today is a fascinating blend of history, culture, and science.

The substance that renders it essentially inedible is oleuropein, a phenolic compound bitter enough to shrivel your teeth. The bitterness is a protective mechanism for olives, useful for fending off invasive microorganisms and seed-crunching mammals. In the wild, olives are dispersed by birds, who avoid the bitterness issue by swallowing them whole. Given the awfulness of the "au natural" olive, you can’t help but wonder why early humans, after the first appalling bite, didn’t shun the olive tree forever.

The olive is a drupe or stone fruit, like cherries, peaches, and plums, in which a fleshy outer covering surrounds a pit or stone, which in turn encases a seed. In the case of the olive, the outer flesh contains up to 30 per cent oil—a concentration so impressive that the English word oil comes from the ancient Greek "Elaia", which means olive. But it also has a low sugar content from 2.6-6% when compared with other drupes which have on average 12%.

Due to these characteristics, it makes it a fruit that cannot be consumed directly from the tree and it has to undergo a series of processes that differ considerably from region to region, and which also depend on the variety of olive. Some olives are, however, an exception to this rule because as they ripen they sweeten right on the tree, in most cases this is due to fermentation. One case is the Thrubolea variety in Greece, however, this is not at all common.

The oleuropein, which is distinctive to the olive, has to be removed as it has a really strong bitter taste and those who have eaten an olive straight off the tree know what I am talking about: it is not, however, pernicious to health. It just tastes terrible. Depending on local methods and customs, the fruit is generally treated in sodium or potassium hydroxide, brine or successively rinsed in aerated water, a rather complicated process.

The olive's suitability for table consumption is a function of its size, which is important for presentation. Olives between 3 and 5g are considered medium-sized, while those weighing over 5 g are large.  The stone should come away easily from the flesh and a ‘flesh to stone’ ratio of 5 to 1 is considered acceptable. The higher this ratio the better the commercial value of the olives. The skin of the fruit should be fine, yet elastic and resistant to blows and to the action of alkalis and brine.

High sugar content in the flesh is an asset. The lowest acceptable level is 4%, especially in olives that undergo fermentation. For table olives, oil content should be as low as possible because in many cases it impairs the keeping properties and consistency of the processed fruit. Only in certain types of black olives is a medium to high oil content desirable.

In Spain, most of the table olives are green olives. These are obtained from olives harvested during the ripening cycle when they have reached their normal size, but prior to colour change. They are usually hand-picked when there is a slight change in hue from leaf-green to slightly yellowish green and when the flesh begins to change consistency but before it turns soft. Colour change should not have begun. Trials have been run to machine harvest table olives, but owing to the high percentage of bruised fruit they had to be immersed in a diluted alkaline solution while still in the orchard, this being said table olives are still in their majority harvested by hand. Recently harvested, the olives should be taken to the plant for processing on the same day.

Green olives are processed in two principal ways: with fermentation, which is considered the Spanish style, and without fermentation, which is considered the Picholine or American style. 

Let's take a look at the different processes for making table olives:

The Process of Making and Preparing Table Olives

Step 1: Harvesting

Olives are typically harvested in the autumn. Timing is crucial; green olives are picked before they ripen, while black olives are harvested fully ripe. The method of harvesting can affect the quality of the fruit, with hand-picking being gentler and more selective compared to mechanical harvesting.

Step 2: Cleaning

Once harvested, olives are cleaned to remove any debris, dirt, and leaves. This is usually done by washing them in large, water-filled vats or using specialized cleaning equipment.

Step 3: Curing

Curing is the process that removes the bitterness from olives and develops their flavour. There are several methods of curing olives, each producing a distinct taste and texture:

1. Water Curing: Olives are soaked in freshwater, which is changed daily for several weeks. This method is one of the simplest and oldest.

2. Brine Curing: Olives are soaked in a saltwater solution for several months. This is one of the most common methods and can involve a double-brine process where olives are transferred to fresh brine after initial fermentation.

3. Dry Curing: Olives are packed in salt or a mixture of salt and herbs, drawing out the bitter compounds over a period of weeks to months. This method often results in wrinkled, intensely flavoured olives.

4. Lye Curing: A modern method where olives are soaked in a lye (sodium hydroxide) solution before being washed and brined. This speeds up the curing process significantly, allowing olives to be ready for consumption in a matter of days or weeks.

Step 4: Fermentation

Fermentation is a crucial step for many types of table olives, especially those cured in brine. During fermentation, naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria convert sugars in the olives into lactic acid, which acts as a preservative and enhances flavour. The process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the method and desired end product.

Step 5: Flavouring and Packaging

After curing and fermentation, olives may be flavoured with various herbs, spices, citrus peels, or garlic. Once flavoured, they are packed in jars or cans with brine or oil for storage and distribution.

In Spain, the majority of olives are treated in a diluted lye solution (sodium hydroxide) to eliminate and transform the oleuropein and sugars, to form organic acids that aid in subsequent fermentation, and to increase the permeability of the fruit. The lye concentrations vary from 2% to 3.5%, depending on the ripeness of the olives, the temperature, the variety and the quality of the water. The treatment is performed in containers of varying sizes in which the solution completely covers the fruit. The olives remain in this solution until the lye has penetrated two-thirds of the way through the flesh. The lye is then replaced by water, which removes any remaining residue and the process is repeated. Lengthy washing properly eliminates soda particles but also washes away soluble sugars, which are necessary for subsequent fermentation.

Fermentation is carried out in suitable containers in which the olives are covered with brine. Traditionally, this was done in wooden casks. More recently, larger containers have come into use that are inert on the inside. The brine causes the release of the fruit cell juices, forming a culture medium suitable for fermentation. Brine concentrations are 9-10%, to begin with, but rapidly drop to 5% owing to the olive's higher content of interchangeable water.

When properly fermented, olives keep for a long time. If they are in casks, the brine level must be topped up. At the time of shipment, the olives have to be classified for the first or second time as the case may be. The original brine is replaced and the olives are packed in barrels and tin or glass containers. Sometimes they are stoned (pitted) or stuffed with anchovies, pimento, etc. The most commonly used varieties in Spain are Manzanillo and Gordal.

But after discovering this you may be thinking, whoever came up with the idea of finding a way to eat a drupe that was at first sight totally inedible and had the patience to even work it out?

Well, it is a bit of a mystery but the general consensus is that it was the Romans who most likely came up with the technique that put the olive fruit itself on the dinner table. Earlier people had discovered that olives could be debittered by soaking them in repeated changes of water, a painstaking process that took many months and was probably discovered by accident. This was somewhat improved by fermenting the olives in brine, which was marginally quicker, but the Romans found that supplementing the brine with lye from wood ashes (sodium hydroxide) cut the time required for producing an edible olive from months to hours. 

About 90 per cent of the world’s olive crop goes to make olive oil. The remainder is harvested for table olives which, though there are over 2,000 known olive cultivars, are known to most of us in two colours: green and black.

Green olives, the kind found in martinis, are picked green and unripe and then cured. These are often called Spanish olives, as mentioned earlier. Tree-ripened olives, left to themselves, turn purple - not black (as you can see in the image on the left) - due to an accumulation of anthocyanin, the same pigment that puts the purple in Concord grapes.

Black olives, though labelled as “ripe” on supermarket cans, actually aren’t: these, a California invention, are green olives that have been cured in an alkaline solution, and then treated with oxygen and an iron compound (ferrous gluconate) that turns their skins a shiny patent-leather black, so they are in fact manipulated and artificial in colour.

The art of making table olives has come a long way from its ancient roots. While traditional methods are still valued for their unique flavours, modern techniques have made olives more accessible and diverse than ever before. As we enjoy these timeless fruits, we partake in a culinary tradition that spans millennia.

Barbate, a small fishing town located in the province of Cádiz, Spain, is well-known for its high-quality seafood, particularly its red tuna – the "atún rojo." Caught in the age-old Almadraba traps dating back to the Phoenician times, the red tuna from Barbate is esteemed for its exquisite taste and tender texture. I thought I would share this very simple and very elegant recipe with you all, as it is a real stunner of a dish at any dinner party or just as a light lunch. It is so simple to make and so full of flavour.

Ingredients:
For the Tuna Tartare:

400 grams of fresh red tuna fillet from Barbate
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1 small ripe avocado
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chives, finely chopped (for garnish)

Optional ingredients for added flavour and texture:

Capers, rinsed and finely chopped
Fresh ginger, grated
Sesame seeds, toasted
 

Instructions:
Preparation of Tuna:

• Begin by carefully inspecting the red tuna fillet. Make sure it is fresh and of high quality. Using a very sharp knife, cut the tuna into small, even, bite-sized cubes. The cubes must be as uniform as possible to ensure even marinating and a pleasant texture when eating.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Whisk them together to create your marinade.
• Gently toss the tuna cubes in the marinade, coating them evenly. Add the finely chopped red onion and give the mixture a gradual mix.
• Season with salt and pepper to your liking, but be mindful of the soy sauce's natural salinity.

If you've chosen to use capers, ginger, or sesame seeds, now is the time to fold them into the mix. Each of these optional ingredients can add a unique depth and character to the tartare.

Avocado base:

• Peel and pit the avocado, then dice into small cubes.
• Add the olive oil, lemon juice, red onion, chives and a pinch of salt. Mix with a spoon.

Taste the avocado mix, adjusting the seasoning if needed.

On a clean plate, use a ring mould to shape the tuna tartare. Carefully spoon the avocado mix into the mould and press down lightly. Then add the tartare mixture into the mould, pressing down lightly to pack it in.
Slowly lift the mould upward, leaving the tartare nicely shaped on the plate. Sprinkle the top of the tuna tartare with some freshly chopped chives and serve,

The tartare can be enjoyed immediately, as it is best served fresh. Accompany it with crispy toasts or lightly salted crackers to add a pleasing crunch against the softness of the tartare.

Pair the dish with a glass of chilled Fino sherry or a crisp white wine to complement its flavours. Serve it during a summer gathering or as part of a tapas spread to truly impress your guests with the authentic taste of Andalusia's coastal cuisine.

Enjoy this delicate and flavourful delicacy that captures the essence of Barbate's red tuna, a true treasure of the sea.

Making paella can be a daunting challenge for many, getting the proportion of water to rice right so it doesn’t stick and go soggy, managing to get an intense flavour and so on, but for others it can be just an impossible task because they can’t find the Valencian round rice if they live abroad and you can’t make a paella with any other rice and achieve a good result. So here is the solution - Fideua
 
Fideuá is a very typical Valencian dish made with seafood and pasta, and pasta is so much easier than rice! Anyone can cook pasta. So our only real challenge here is getting an intense flavour, which is really quite simple if you follow a couple of my tricks - tricks I learned from experts, I may add. So how do we make it?
 
Like any paella dish, the key is in the stock, the secret is to make a good fish and seafood stock which isn't difficult but it can be a hassle and this post is titled "Easy Fideua" so we are going to cheat in this area by using a ready-made seafood stock, and with a little help we will make a really tasty fideua with as little effort as possible. Trust me, if you don't tell anyone, they will never know! It's also great as you can have all the ingredients at home in the freezer and the cupboard anytime, always a great meal up your sleeve in case of a surprise visit!

So this is what you'll need:

 
Here are the ingredients you will need to make a Fideuá for 4 adults:
 

Fideuá:

I'm using a Paella Pan measuring 55 cm in diameter (48cm base), you can do it with a  smaller one too, but I prefer to have the pasta spread out and not too thick. You get better results as you can evaporate the stock quicker due to the larger surface area, thus get a more intense flavour before the pasta is cooked.
 

• 500g of short pasta  - fideo medio here is an example :

• 2 litres of Seafood Fumet - ideally from Mercadona - It has the highest concentration of seafood in it - more than other brands - ANETO is also very good, but more expensive.

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 3 pressed garlic cloves
• 400g Flat green beans - Judias Planas - these are better fresh, but you can use the frozen ones too.

• 3 ripe plum tomatoes - grated with a cheese grater.
• 1 large brown onion finely diced
• 2 tsp of paprika powder - 'Pimenton dulce'
• A small pinch of Saffron - add this to the stock as it is heating up.
• 8 large uncooked king size prawns  - "Gambon" - you can buy them frozen in Mercadona. These will cost about €3,5 euros at the most - defrost before cooking. This is what they look like in Mercadona:

• 200 g Peeled King Prawn tails - Frozen -  in Mercadona - defrost before cooking

You can add more seafood if you want, but trust me, this is enough. 
 
• TIP: If you don’t like bits in your food remove the tentacles and the legs from the prawns before cooking them otherwise you will be picking them out of your Fideuá while you eat, as they fall off when you cook them.
 
     
 
Preparing the Fideuá:
 

• Heat the stock and keep it warm until you need it - add the saffron to the stock
• Add the olive oil to the paella pan - if it is level it will form a circle in the middle - keep adding until it is about a hands width from the edge of the pan about  11-12 cm
• Heat the pan - if you are using a paella burner, just use just the centre gas ring at this stage.
• When the oil is hot - not smoking - add all the prawns. Gently fry them on both sides for a few minutes. Remove the peeled prawns once they have changed colour and put to one side
• Squash the heads of all the king prawns so they release their juice. Make sure it has all come out - this is key to a getting a good result.
• Remove the king prawns and put to one side.
• Add the green beans (chopped into approx 1-2 inch pieces) and saute the beans in the oil until they are starting to go soft and browned slightly - then push them out the edge of the pan.
• Add the onions to the oil and gently fry them until they go transparent and slightly browned. Take your time, the slower they cook the more intense the flavour will be.
• Push the onions to the outer edge of the paella pan with the beans so they won't cook any further.
• Add the grated tomato to the centre of the pan and fry it. You can raise the heat a little - we want to evaporate the water from the tomato.
• TIP - Once the water has evaporated from the tomato and we just have pulp add a little water to the tomato pulp and repeat the process. Do this a minimum of three times. This will help get a really intense fried tomato. During the second evaporation add the crushed garlic to the tomato pulp and during the last evaporation add the paprika to the tomato and garlic pulp.
• Once the last evaporation is complete add all the pasta to the pan and fry the pasta in with the onions and the tomato. Do this for a minute or so and then add a couple of ladles of hot stock - make sure the stock is hot before you add it to the paella pan and the all the gas rings have been turned on and on medium heat.
• Spread the pasta out evenly across the pan and make sure you have enough stock in the pan to reach the edges and so that all the pasta is in stock - but not being totally covered by it. 
• We will be adding the stock little by little to ensure we don't overcook the pasta. Our aim is to use all the stock - 2 litres - so at the beginning, you will want a high heat to evaporate the stock quickly before it cooks all the pasta - this way the flavours will be more intense - the more stock evaporated, the stronger the flavour.
• Keep adding the stock and evaporating until you feel you can add all of what is left - make sure that the past is not sticking to the bottom of the pan yet - if it is, it is too hot. We want that to happen towards the end.
• If you notice the pasta is almost cooked, place the king prawns and the peeled prawns back into the paella pan in a decorative circle, crank up the heat to evaporate the remaining stock quickly - this will be a bit of trial and error until you work out your temperatures with the burner - but its not difficult.
• When all the stock has evaporated lower the heat and let it toast the bottom of the pasta be careful not to burn it. You can test this with a fork. Stick a fork in and touch the bottom of the pan push back and forth gently to see if the past moves - if it doesn't it is toasting and creating a delicious crust.
• Once a crust has been made across all of the pan turn off the gas. Make sure you don’t burn it - keep smelling it - you will smell the pasta burning if you have gone too far.

All that is left to now is let it sit for a few minutes and serve!

Hopefully, it will look something like this... Enjoy!

It's not the first time I have written about cooking paella, but I think, if you are really interested in making paella this might just be the most useful article I have written. Since my last article, I  have practised a fair bit and learned a significant amount through trial and error and testing other people’s recommendations.

I have learned one fundamental thing, always use the same size paella pan until you are consistently producing perfect paellas every time. That means understanding your pan-to-water-to-rice measurements, meat and vegetable quantities and heat control. All play a vital role in pulling off the perfect paella. 

As I never managed to find any articles or anyone who ever really committed to the exact proportions or advice that was actually applicable in the home. You always needed to adjust for your situation ie. your pan was smaller or larger, your burner was less powerful, or you would never cook a paella that big ever and you would need to adjust everything! 

Some would say 1 part rice to 3 parts water others would say 1 part rice to 2.5 parts water, 1 part rice to 4 parts water! ...and then you would need to make sure you are using the right variety of rice as each one absorbs more or less water.  You see, so many things affect the result of a paella. What looks like is a simple dish is an absolute nightmare to get right! How much rice you put in the paella pan is key - the depth of the rice in the pan directly influences the amount of water (or stock if it is a seafood paella) and the cooking time so unless you have the same pan size and the same measurements etc your paella will never be the same. I have learnt a considerable amount over the years and I have come to the conclusion that the best-sized paella pan is 60 cm in diameter (unless you are consistently making paella for 9 -12 people at a time, in that case, it would be a 70cm pan.) But I think a 60 cm pan will serve the majority of households. 

On the sticker of the 60 cm pan, it will say it is good for 20 servings. What this really means is that you can feed 20 people if you fill the pan to the brim with rice. But that is never done and should never be done as the rice is never cooked evenly when so deep. I have always had a wide range of paella pans in size at home, meaning I have kept changing pan sizes depending on numbers and I had never really mastered any one of them in particular. So fi you are serious about learning how to cook paella and to do it properly I suggest sticking to one size until you master it and adjust the amounts of rice accordingly. The bigger the pan the less influence the extra rice has on the cooking time. But if you go too big, controlling the heat and the even depth of the rice throughout the paella becomes an issue, but this tends to be the case when the pan is bigger than 100cm. Any bigger though and the quality of the paella is very difficult, if not impossible to, maintain at a high standard.

So, why 60cm? let me explain why this is an ideal size. Firstly, this size is ideal for 5 to 8 servings, but if necessary you can also stretch it to 10 on the odd occasion without the paella getting too deep. Secondly, it enables you to include sufficient amounts of meat and vegetables to obtain a decent stock and leave enough space for the rice, as the base of the pan measures 52,5cm in diameter.  Most importantly, whether you make a paella for 5 or 8 people, your paella will never be more than 1 cm in depth. This is the key!

If you go to a restaurant your paella will always be thin, at most 1,5cm deep. This is fundamental if you want all the rice to be cooked evenly. The deeper the rice the more cooked it will at the bottom and possibly undercooked at the top As a maximum, you never really want to go any deeper than 2cm of rice. Ideally, aim for up to 1,5cm in the middle of the pan and up to 1 cm on the outer edge. Now you see why we need such a big pan for so few people. By doing this we will guarantee that the rice is cooked evenly and you will be able to control without too much trouble “el punto del arroz” - which is the equivalent of the “al dente” with pasta. If the rice is any deeper, this is realistically impossible, especially if you let the paella sit for a while before serving. As some varieties will continue to cook after being removed from the heat such as Senia - J Sendra, whereas other such as Bomba or Albufera will withstand the resting period before serving. If you don’t know the differences there are three main types of Valencian rice with the denomination of origin. They are as follows:
 

J.SENDRA ROUND RICE (from the Senia variety)

This rice originated in Valencia, cultivated in the Albufera under the seal of the Denomination of Origin Rice of Valencia. Its grains have a great capacity to absorb the flavours and aromas from all the ingredients. It is the rice that is most used to make Valencian paella due to its creamier texture and ability to maintain its humidity on the surface without sticking. This creamier texture makes for a more intense transfer of flavours from the rice grain to the mouth. However, this variety takes no prisoners, or you get it right or your paella turns to a mushy nasty mess. The grain is prone to splitting if you cook it too long and it will continue to cook for about 2 to 4 minutes after turning off the heat. Something that you need to take into consideration. This is my prefered variety for paella.

Cooking time 13 - 15 minutes.

BOMBA RICE

This rice has a much higher amylose (a starch polymer)  content than J Sendra. This means that the grain has a reduced surface humidity resulting in the grains not sticking during cooking. It also has a very high resistance to overcooking which is great for the novice and also restaurants that might have the paella waiting a short time before serving. The downside is that, although it does absorb a lot of stock, that transfer of flavour is not as high as with J Sendra due to the lack of surface humidity and the toughness of the grain. It lacks that creamier texture. It is a dryer paella compared to J Sendra. Personally, I prefer this variety for rice stews - “caldosos” as they are called here.

Optimum cooking: 16-18 min
 

ALBUFERA RICE

This rice is the result of crossing the Bomba and Senia/J Sendra varieties. It has an excellent capacity for absorbing flavours and aromas, close to J Sendra but with the resistance not so much to overcooking but to withstanding the resting time after cooking. So it does give some forgiveness with the cooking times.

Optimum cooking: 14-16 min

Now we have looked into the varieties, let’s continue...

Recently, I just invested in a completely new set up for my paella cooking, which I am going to share with you. I bought a 60cm professional thickness paella pan -  this means it will never warp and should become a family heirloom. Additionally, I bought a 46cm paella burner (alta gama) by Flames VLC with the gas attachment and adjustable legs. It all came to about €120 including postage, so pretty reasonable if you ask me. This setup will do you for life and will probably cover 95% of the paella requirements you will ever have.

I bought mine here - https://paellerosypaelleras.com/)

Allow me to share the measurements and instructions for this size pan, in case you decide to buy one.

For a 60cm pan, the minimum amount of rice would be 500g and I would say the maximum amount for a lovely thin paella would be 800g, but you could perfectly stretch it to 1kg if it was really necessary and it would still be fairly thin. I calculate 100g per person, which is a standard serving at any restaurant if you are serving starters. If you are not serving starters you might want to calculate 125g per person. So, even if you are two at home 500g is basically four healthy servings and it will keep in the fridge for a day without any problems.  Realistically cooking any less at home is a bit pointless as the meat and vegetable quantities will be so small you won’t get a good stock. Anything between 500 and 800g is very similar to cook, you just adjust the water, but the cooking times are similar and with such a  big pan it much easier to adjust accordingly. 

The water ratio to rice for this pan and these amounts will be 4 to 1 :  4 parts water to 1 part rice.  400ml of water for every 100g of rice.

Why so much water compared to other recipes? Well, basically because the surface area of the paella pan is much larger than normal and therefore the capacity for evaporation is much greater. So much more water will evaporate than if the pan were smaller and the rice deeper.

Let’s make it! - Valencian Paella

 The authentic “Paella Valenciana” has it’s Denominación de origin, which identifies the 10 basic ingredients that it must have :

Olive Oil, Chicken, Rabbit, Ferraura (wide green beans), Garrafon (local large white butter bean), Tomato, Water, Salt, Saffron and Rice (Valencian round rice).

These are the basic ingredients for the orthodox paella, nothing else. However, some local variations are admitted under the name “Paella Valenciana”, which have come from local areas within Valencia, such as Benicarló where they historically add artichokes. Duck is used as well as other ingredients in the L’Albufera, snail, paprika and rosemary are also admitted but nothing else.

So here we go, I’m going to include artichokes, paprika and rosemary to the base recipe. remember we are using a 60cm pan and a 46cm gas burner.

1. 500g rice variety - J Sendra  (but you can choose which one you prefer)

2. 800 g Chopped up chicken, including the liver.

3. 500g Chopped up Rabbit,

4. 400 g of  Ferraura (also known as bajoqueta) large thick flat green beans.

5. 200g of Garrofon – large white beans.  Try to buy all the veg fresh not frozen.

6. 200g Grated tomato (without the skin)

7. 4 Artichokes – once cut up into 4 parts each, keep them in water with a little lemon, that way they won’t turn the paella a dark colour. 

8. 150ml Extra virgin olive oil (more or less)

9. Saffron threads

10. Table Salt

11. 1 Dessert spoon of paprika (sweet)

12. Rosemary still on the branch if possible. I don’t recommend dried rosemary, it is easy to put too much in and ruin the paella. With the branch it is easy to remove it as soon as the right level of taste is acquired.

13. Water:  2 Litres + 1 Litre to create the stock - this will evaporate before we put the rice in.

Instructions

First make sure that the paella pan is perfectly horizontal, if it isn’t it won’t cook properly. You can test this by adding the olive oil to the pan and it should all stay in the centre. If it doesn’t adjust until it does. I also have a spirit level for this, a little quicker!

Turn on the gas to a medium heat.  

Sprinkle some  salt around the edge of the pan  

When the oil is hot, add the chicken and the rabbit. 

Fry the chicken and the rabbit for at least 20 minutes at medium to low heat. You don’t want it burnt but you do want it a deep rich golden brown colour on all sides. This is one of the main tricks behind a good paella. Most people do not cook the meat enough during the preparation stage. It will not end up tough, later with the water it will soften up the meat.  

Once you have achieved the colour of the meat, spread out the meat to the edge of the pan to make room in the centre for the vegetables  

Add the green beans first and fry them for about 5 minutes.

Then add the white beans and fry for a couple of minutes.

Spread the vegetables out to the edge of the meat and make room in the centre for the tomato.  

Add the tomato and fry for about 3-4 minutes. Once all the water from the tomatoes has evaporated, add a little water back into the tomato (this is just a couple of tablespoons or so) and fry it again until it evaporates again completely. Do this three times and you will have a fantastic fried tomato. The little water you have added just to the tomato will evaporate completely so it is not contemplated in the water for the rice.

Leaving the tomato in the centre, we now add the paprika. Now, this is a critical point. We must have the water ready and at hand when we do this and move to a low heat. For about 30-45 seconds max. we cook the paprika with the tomato. If you cook it for too long it will make the paella bitter. The water will stop the paprika from cooking any further.

Now we add the water. Add ONLY the first measurement of 2 litres of water and take note where the water level has reached in the pan – I use a metallic ruler and simply place it in the middle of the pan and take a reading to the mm. Remember it and then add the extra litre of water.

Raise the heat to medium-to-high and start boiling the stock for at least 25 minutes.

If the water level reaches the first measurement of the 2 litres before time just add more water until the stock has a strong, rich and very slightly salty taste. The rice will absorb the salt. After about 20 minutes of boiling test for salt 

Once we have a good stock flavour and have reached the first water level mark we add the rice. Just spread it out around the pan, as you have measured it is not necessary to do a cross or a line as many people do, these techniques come from judgement and practise and are basically pot luck and have to real sense to them. Just make sure all the rice is evenly distributed and all the grains are covered by the stock.

Add the saffron until we achieve a nice rich golden colour. Be careful not to put too much in, you don’t want an orange paella.  What I do is take out two or three spoons of stock and pour them into a pestle and mortar with the saffron and then grind it all together and pour it back in.

After this point, we will not touch the rice or move it around. 

Cook on high heat for 7 minutes, until the rice starts to appear through the stock. 

Then drop to a low heat and cook for 5 minutes. It is important to drop the heat because we then avoid the burning of the starch that has come out of the rice and thickened the stock.

At this point add the rosemary branch. After about 3-4 minutes you can remove it, this is done by taste and smell. If it is becoming overpowering remove it straight away. 

During the 5 minutes keep tasting the rice grains. By the end of the 5 minutes it should be slightly “al dente” but not hard. The last stage of the cooking will be done without the heat. The last minute or so, when there is now no stock left, you can raise the heat quickly to caramelize the bottom of the rice to the pan, but not burn it. It will go crispy with an intense flavour. This is called Socarrat. Use the back of a spoon to check that the rice is sticking to the pan, but smell it also to make sure you are not burning it. After a little practice, this will be easy, trust me.

We will not cook the rice for more than 12/13 minutes (Senia variety) unless we are not at sea level, as is Valencia. Altitude affects the cooking of rice; the higher up you are the longer it will take. So if you are up in the hills say 700m above sea level you will need a couple more minutes to cook the rice! 

Remove from heat and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. The stock should have evaporated completely and this will complete the cooking process of the rice. 

If the rice is still a little tough  (you evaporated it too quickly) you can cover it with a damp kitchen cloth or tin foil while it is sitting for 5 minutes.

The rice should be roundish, in one piece, not broken or too sticky. You should be able to separate the grains easily, but they should also have a creamy texture.

Paella is often decorated with lemon quarters but honestly, it should just be decoration, the Valencians say "lemon is only used on a bad paella" ....to give it some flavour. So, NO lemon! and remember a traditional paella is best savoured using a wooden spoon, don't ask me why, but it is true. It just tastes better!

Get practising!