The authentic Valencian Paella contains ten basic ingredients and they’re not the ones that most people think they are: chicken, rabbit, cut pole beans, butter beans (garrofó), tomato, valencian rice, olive oil, water, saffron and salt.
Rice with it’s own identity
The varieties of rice covered by the Denomination of Origin Rice of Valencia offer endless possibilities in Valencian cuisine, perfectly fulfilling its main attribute: lead to the palate, with all its potential, the combined flavors of each of the ingredients with those who have accompanied the rice.
Our designation of origin requires exclusive cultivation of local varieties in the right natural environment, with an irrigation system that favors the homogeneous ripening of the grain, achieving the highest industrial and culinary quality.
Fresh and Quality Ingredients
For the preparation of the authentic Valencian paella and like all the dishes we cook, we use fresh meat and vegetables, an excellent olive oil imported from Spain and Dacsa or La Fallera rice, also from Valencian lands.
The origins
History of the most international dish
The first recipe of Valencian paella, previously known as Valencian rice, appears in a manuscript of the 18th century. At the end of the same century, it was already a dish known in Spanish territory.
The name of paella was given to this dish because of the pan in which it is made. This “Rice a la Valenciana” or paella originates from the marshes of the “Albufera of Valencia.” The first paella dishes were made with ingredients from the marsh. Anguilla, green beans and snails were some of the ingredients. In the absence of these ingredients in the other regions, new ingredients were introduced to the paella such as rabbit meat and chicken. Duck meat was also occasionally used (in the vicinity of the Albufera). Valencian Paella as it is known today is made with rabbit meat and chicken. The rice used for the Valencian paella is grown in the province of Valencia in large rice fields as is the case of “Arroz Bomba”, the most used for the preparation of paellas.
Traditionally the paella is cooked on firewood. For this purpose pine wood is used. The making of a Valencian Paella is very time consuming, it is a dish that is prepared especially on holidays or weekends with family or friends. Almost in disuse is the tradition of eating the paella directly from the “Caldero” , using a wooden spoon. At the beginning of the 20th century the paella was spread throughout the world and today is known as the national dish of Spain.
