If there is a Spanish recipe that is known worldwide is the Valencian paella, it sets its origin in L’Albufera de Valencia and that has become a symbol of our country.

Which is the secret to cook the perfect paella?

Ones may say that the secret is in the rice used, others that is in its cooking time, the chicken quality or how salty is the broth. However, for us it is in following the next requirements.

Thereupon we unveil you our traditional recipe to cook the Valencian paella for 4 people:

The ingredients you need:

- 400 gr rice D.O Albufera

- 1 kg of chopped chicken

- 500 gr of chopped rabbit

- 200 gr of green beans

- 100 gr of butter beans

- 4 or 5 artichokes (optional)

- 100 gr of crushed tomatoes

- 6 spoons of olive oil

- Sweet red paprika

- Few strands of golden saffron

- Salt

- Chicken or vegetable broth | water

ELABORATION: Step by step

To begin with, we add the olive oil with the heat on. Once the oil is heated, we insert the chicken and rabbit, and we brown them in all sides. We should regularly turn them so that they are well cooked.

Then we add the vegetables chopped and sauté them for a few minutes. Now is the moment to add the crushed tomatoes and gently sauté together with the meat and vegetables moving them constantly.

After some minutes, we add the sweet paprika. At this point is important that the heat is at a low temperature. We move the paprika for just an instant and then add the water or broth.

To prevent it from burn we should add the water or broth until the rivets of the paella container. Then we will add salt and let it boil during approximately 20 minutes.

After this time, we will taste the broth because it should be lightly salty as then the rice will absorb part of the salt.

Finally, it is the moment to add the rice. The traditional way of doing it is drawing a cross in the boiling water and spreading the rice evenly across the paella container.

At this stage, we will taste again the broth and correct the salt. After that, we will add the saffron or food coloring to prevent the appearance of lumps. The cooking time of the rice is highly important, in the case of the D.O Albufera is about 18 minutes, in this way we will cook at a very high temperature for 8 minutes and the resting 6 at almost the minimum heat.

And if the paella at this moment has no or almost no broth, we let it boil for 4 minutes at a very low heat but if it still has quite broth these 4 last minutes, we will cook it at a medium heat.

TRICK: It should be highlighted that if we let the paella rest for 5 minutes once removed from the fire, the rice will be at its point.