Name: Paella Valenciana
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 125 g chicken thighs; 75 g rabbit meat; 80 g risotto rice; 50 g bean pods; 0.25 tin white beans; 0.5 pcs tomatoes; 0.5 clove garlic; 0.25 teaspoon sweet paprika; 0.25 pinch saffron; 0.25 sprigs rosemary; olive oil; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 0.25 l water; 0.25 pcs lemon

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. optionally cut through the joints into smaller pieces and lightly salt.
TIP:
Before searing, thoroughly pat the meat dry with a paper towel. A dry surface will brown quickly and form a better crust. The juices will stay inside the meat.
2
Cut the rabbit into smaller pieces roughly the same size as the chicken so they cook evenly.
3
Trim the green beans, remove the ends, and cut into pieces about 4-5 cm long.
4
Halve the tomatoes and coarsely grate the flesh. discard the skins and reserve the juice for the pan.
5
Peel and finely chop the garlic, rub the saffron between your fingers, and prepare a sprig of rosemary.

Cooking

6
Heat olive oil in a wide paella pan over medium-high heat and sear the chicken and rabbit until golden (approximately 8-10 minutes), turning so the meat browns and seals.
7
Add the green beans and sauté another 3-4 minutes until lightly golden but still crisp.
8
Stir in the grated tomato flesh and chopped garlic. sauté for about 1 minute, then add the sweet paprika and stir briefly so it doesn't burn.
9
Add water (adjust for the rice and pan size), then add the saffron, the rosemary sprig, and season with salt to taste. simmer gently for about 15 minutes, so the flavors meld and the meat is nearly tender.
TIP:
Add saffron to hot water and let it steep for 5-10 minutes. Use the resulting liquid as the base for both paella and risotto. The flavor and color will blend evenly.
10
Evenly scatter the rice across the pan so that it is submerged in the liquid. do not stir any further. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat until some liquid is absorbed.
11
Add the drained white beans, distribute them evenly, and gently press them into the rice so they are slightly embedded in the surface.
12
Reduce the heat and finish cooking for another 8-10 minutes until the liquid is almost absorbed and the rice is tender. do not stir during cooking so a socarrat crust forms on the bottom of the pan.
13
At the end, briefly raise the heat for 1-2 minutes until you hear a gentle crackling (be careful not to burn). then remove the pan from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes, covered with a cloth.

Serving

14
Remove the rosemary sprig, place the pan in the center of the table, and serve with lemon wedges.
15
Eat the paella straight from the pan. serve portions from the edges toward the center so each portion gets some socarrat.
TIP:
Let the paella rest briefly under a kitchen towel. When serving, scoop from the edge toward the center so that the bottom stays crispy socarrat and every portion gets some.