By Real Academia de Gastronomía
María García Muriel
Valencian paella ingredientsReal Academia de Gastronomía
One of the best known dishes in Spanish cuisine began its life in rural Valencia. Paella has always been associated with festive occasions such as family gatherings and parties with friends. It can be prepared in the kitchen or outdoors, in which case ideally it would be cooked over a wood fire.
Valencia is a coastal region, but Valencian paella does not contain any fish or seafood. Its ingredients are associated with the countryside: chicken, rabbit, snails...
...and vegetables such as the butter bean, a legume similar to the fava bean used in many traditional Valencian dishes.
The rice variety favored by experts is known as "bomba," and is widely cultivated in the region. A round grain that's fairly small in size, it absorbs more liquid than other varieties and holds flavor.
A good-quality thread of saffron should be used, and it's important not to let it burn.
Valencian PaellaReal Academia de Gastronomía
Discover more traditional recipes using food from the land in this exhibition.
Text: María García Muriel, in partnership with Ismael Diaz Yubero (Spanish representative to the FAO and Adviser on Agriculture, Fishing, and Food at the Spanish Embassy in Rome, and Member of Spain's Royal Academy of Gastronomy); and María Llamas (Alambique cookery store and school).
Image: David de Luis (photographer), Sandra Jiménez Osorio (food stylist), Maria Eugenia Perez-Blanco (recipe creation), Alambique cookery store and school (production).
This exhibition is part of the Spanish gastronomy project, España: Cocina Abierta (Spain: Open Kitchen), coordinated by Google Arts & Culture and Spain's Royal Academy of Gastronomy (Real Academia de la Gastronomía). The section on culinary legacy was coordinated by María Llamas, director of the Alambique cookery store and school.
Acknowledgements
Lourdes Plana Bellido, president of the Royal Academy of Gastronomy; Elena Rodríguez, director of the Royal Academy of Gastronomy and Carmen Simón, academic of the Royal Academy of Gastronomy.
www.realacademiadegastronomia.com
www.alambique.com
