Paella Bomba

Paella.

Rustic, romantic, exotic..

A process that is almost a ritual.

This is our signature Paella from BAXTALO, modified slightly so it can be done at home.

Fun fact: Paella is the name of the pan, so technically any one dish meal cooked in it is a Paella.

Bonus Fact: Paella is not the national dish of Spain, and their are many variations from different regions; including some without Seafood or even pasta instead of rice at all!

For this recipe, though we will be making the "Paella Bomba" from BAXTALO.

A NOTE ABOUT SAFFRON:

Saffron is essential to this recipe, but not all saffron is created equal their are varying qualities or grades:

Yellow- mostly dark orange, with both red and yellow strands. Not very fragrant, not worth using.

Red yellow- Mostly red but sprinkled with yellow. Mild floral scent, bright (this is the most commonly found at grocers)

Red orange (Superior)- Red and Orange with occasional yellow- Mild raisin and bright Floral scent (can be found at boutique and specialty markets)

Red(Coupe)- Dark red with the occasional yellow or orange.

Good Floral and Raisin scent, earthy musk. (found at spice merchants and boutique markets)

red red (Negin)- Dark Red, no orange or yellow at all.

Very strong Raisin and floral scent, Sun baked earth aroma. (Usually requires a special order from luxury, or spice merchants, not typically available in small lots.)

This is what we use at BAXTALO

This recipe works best with red-orange grade or above.

We cook our Paellas over open flame, or Paleros- a type of burner specifically designed for Paella pans to simulate coals or low woodfire.

We highly recommend using one, or a large outdoor grill that can heat all sides evenly.

This recipe is modified so it *can* be done on a four-burner stove and oven, using a 14" pan, but requires moving the pan around to achieve an even heat, so one must be very mindful of burns! The handles can get quite hot.

That said... let us begin.