The best paella with Nandi Hernández and Carmen Ballester
The Arabs brought the first rice plants to Spain from China in the eighth century and cultivated it. Rice has been cultivated in the Valencia region since the 12th century, and since then it has been an essential part of the local cuisine—and, of course, is a staple of the world-famous paella, which originated in Valencia. In the small town of Borbotó, four farmers have joined forces to show locals and tourists the way to authentic paella. We visited them during the rice harvest and participated in a paella workshop.
L'horta de València, the verdant region surrounding Valencia, is extremely fertile and has been considered the city's fruit, vegetable, and rice garden for centuries. Our destination, "Discover L'horta," is about a 20-minute drive north of the city center—not far to find yourself amidst rice fields. In the small town of Borbotó, farmers have joined forces to cultivate rice and vegetables organically, while also offering locals and tourists the opportunity to try their hand at the art of a perfectly prepared Paella Valenciana.
This includes a trip to the on-site vegetable garden to harvest beans and tomatoes – depending on the season – for the subsequent cooking event. Because unlike other regions in Spain, a classic Paella Valenciana consists only of chicken and rabbit, two different types of beans, some tomatoes, and of course, the main ingredient: rice. Not just any rice, but the Bomba variety for which the Valencia region is famous. In Borbotó, too, everything revolves around rice when we arrive. We burst into the middle of the harvest – the rice grows so quickly that it is harvested three times a year. But Nandi Hernández and his wife Carmen Ballester remain calm and give us a warm welcome.
The rice harvest here, of course, involves the use of large machinery, but the basic idea of irrigating and cultivating the fields dates back to the Arabs, who began cultivating rice around Valencia over a thousand years ago and established a sophisticated irrigation system of open canals, locks, and aqueducts in the delta of the Turia River, thus transforming the floodplain into fertile farmland. Agriculture in this region still benefits from this today; not only rice thrives on the soil, but also all types of vegetables and fruits that love to be pampered by the sun.
Rice is harvested three times a year in the Valencia region.
Nandi looking for the most beautiful bajoquetes (green flat beans).
On the drive to the farm, we pass countless orange plantations that could rival any Valensina advertisement from the 1980s. But appearances are somewhat deceptive: the area of orchards and vegetable gardens in Valencia has been steadily declining since the 1950s. The city is expanding – and at the same time destroying valuable cultivated land. A situation that Nandi and Carmen's group wants to counteract with their resources. As they lead us through their large vegetable garden, we can't get enough of the colors of the different bean varieties and the plump red tomatoes, and it's good that school classes also have the opportunity to learn first-hand about the historical agriculture around Valencia. It's important to preserve an old cultural landscape as best as possible. Anyone who immediately thinks of horror stories about cultivation and working conditions in southern Spain when they think of Spanish vegetable cultivation will be disabused of this notion here. But of course, the masses that end up on the shelves of our grocery stores are not produced here.
Contact:
Discover L'horta
Josep Renau, No. 44
46016 Borvoto, Valencia
www.descubrelhorta.com
persimmon plantation
Ripe pomegranates just before harvest.
Paella Valenciana: The original
Paella is the Catalan word for pan, and the preparation of a Paella Valenciana is traditionally done over an open fire fueled by orange wood. Everyone eats directly from the pan – a custom that dates back to the time when paella was a kind of leftover meal for farm workers and day laborers. Quickly cooked at midday in a shallow pan directly in the field, in a quantity that is equal to
Filled several stomachs. Rice was the main ingredient, supplemented with whatever edible ingredients could be found. On holidays, paella was served in Valencia in the version now known as Paella Valenciana. It was enriched solely with chicken and rabbit meat, as well as small snails – all other Spanish versions with fish, seafood, etc., are frowned upon. Paella gets its bright yellow color from the addition of saffron, but food coloring is also frequently used.
The orange wood creates a long-lasting glow and a spicy smoky aroma.
Recipe for "Paella Valenciana"
Ingredients (for 6-8 people):
• ½ chicken, cut into equal pieces
and lightly salted
• ½ rabbit, cut into equal pieces
and lightly salted
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika powder (Pimenton de la Vera)
• Saffron powder or food coloring
• 1 large tomato, cut into small pieces
• 500 g green, flat beans
• 120 g Garrofò (a special type of bean from Valencia)
• 3–4 artichokes (winter only), cut into pieces
• 150 g olive oil
• 600g Valencia Bomba rice
• some fresh rosemary sprigs
• Water
• Salt
Preparation:
Pour the olive oil into the center of the paella pan, place it over an open fire, on the grill, or on a side burner if you don't have one, and heat the oil. If the fire is too hot, sprinkle a little salt around the edges of the paella pan in any areas where there is no oil to prevent it from burning. As soon as the oil starts to smoke, add the chicken and rabbit and brown them carefully on all sides over medium heat. The success of the paella depends heavily on this phase. Now add the beans and, if using, the artichokes, and sauté for a few minutes.
Create some space in the center of the pan between the meat and the beans, add the chopped tomatoes, cook for another minute, and then add the paprika. Check that the paella is cooking over medium heat to prevent the paprika from burning and making the paella bitter. Then, pour water into the pan from the sides until it is completely covered. After 20 minutes of cooking, check that the liquid is still halfway up the rivets on the handles. Season with salt; the broth should be tasty and slightly salty, as the rice will absorb some of the salt during cooking. Another way to check if there is enough liquid in the pan is to place a tablespoon with the bowl of a spoon vertically in the center of the paella, which should be half covered.
Now it's time to add the rice. To do this, add it to the pan in the shape of a large cross, so that each line extends above the stock. This gives you the perfect ratio of rice to stock to the pan—exactly the amount of rice the paella needs. Add saffron or food coloring to the rice and spread it outwards. Cook over high heat for 8 minutes, then reduce the heat to almost minimum, cook for another 6 to 7 minutes, and scatter a few rosemary sprigs over the paella. If the paella has little stock left after this time, reduce the heat again for the last 3 or 4 minutes; if there is plenty, increase the heat to medium. In total, the rice will cook for between 15 and 18 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving!
