Paella is a Valencian rice dish that has ancient roots but its modern form originated in the mid-19th

century. Many non-Spaniards view paella as Spain's national dish, but most Spaniards consider it to be a regional
Valencian dish. Valencians, in turn, regard paella as one of their identifying symbols. Types of paella include
Valencian paella, vegetable paella (Spanish: paella de verduras), seafood paella (Spanish: paella de mariscos),
and mixed paella (Spanish: paella mixta), among many others. Valencian paella is believed to be the original
recipe and consists of white rice, green beans (bajoqueta and tavella), meat (chicken, duck and rabbit), white
beans (garrofón), snails, and seasoning such as saffron and rosemary.

HISTORY

Moors in Muslim Spain began rice cultivation around the 10th century. Consequently, Valencians often
made casseroles of rice, fish, and spices for family gatherings and religious feasts, thus establishing the custom of
eating rice in Spain. This led to rice becoming a staple by the 15th century. Afterwards, it became customary for
cooks to combine rice with vegetables, beans, and dry cod, providing an acceptable meal for Lent. Along Spain's
eastern coast, rice was predominantly eaten with fish.
On the Mediterranean coast, Valencians used seafood instead of meat and beans to make paella. Valencians
regard this recipe as authentic, as well. Later, however, Spaniards living outside of Valencia combined seafood
with meat from land animals and mixed paella was born. This paella is sometimes called preparación barroca
(baroque preparation) due to the variety of ingredients and its final presentation. During the 20th century,
paella's popularity spread past Spain's borders. As other cultures set out to make paella, the dish invariably
acquired regional influences. Consequently, paella recipes went from being relatively simple to including a wide
variety of seafood, meat, sausage (including chorizo,vegetables and many different seasonings. However, the
most globally popular recipe is seafood paella.
 4 small lobster tails (170-340 g each)
 Water
 50 ml olive oil
 1 large yellow onion, chopped
 2 cups Spanish rice or short grain rice, soaked
in water for 15 minutes and then drained
 4 garlic cloves, chopped
 2 large pinches of Spanish saffron threads soaked in 1/2 cup water
 5 g of paprika
 5 g cayenne pepper
 2.5 g aloppo pepper flakes
 Salt
 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
 170 g green beans
 450 g prawns or large shrimp or your choice, peeled and deveined
 60 g chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large pot, bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the lobster tails and let boil very briefly (1-2 minutes) until pink.
Turn the heat off. Remove the lobster tails with a pair of tongs. Do not discard the lobster cooking water. When the lobster is
cool enough to handle, remove the shell and cut into large chunks.
2. In a large deep pan or skillet, heat 50 ml olive oil. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the chopped onions. Saute the
onions for 2 minutes then add the rice, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring regularly. Now add the chopped garlic a nd the
lobster cooking water. Stir in the saffron and it’s soaking liquid, paprika, cayenne pepper, aleppo pepper, and salt. Stir in the
chopped tomatoes and green beans. Bring to a boil and let the liquid slightly reduce, then cover (with lid or tightly w ith foil)
and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
3. Uncover and spread the shrimp over the rice, pushing it into the rice slightly. Add a little water if needed. Cover and cook for
another 10-15 minutes until the shrimp turns pink. Finally, add the cooked lobst er chunks. When the lobster is warmed
through, turn heat off. Garnish with parsley.
4. Serve the paella hot with your favorite white wine.