Paella can become an impressive meal even if you are caught off guard with a sudden house full of guests. You can use lots of rice to make the dish spread further and ration out the more scarce ingredients.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live. John 3:16 (NIV)

Flexible and Plentiful

What can you put in the paella? Just about anything you have on hand. Once you have the right kind of rice you next need to have a good flavoured stock. The stock is what gives this dish its proper flavour and its mouth-watering colouring. Saffron, also called azafran, is what gives the food its light yellow hue. This is what makes it recognizable as paella.

Sample the Perfect Seafood Paella Recipe

The ingredients you will need for your paella include about 4 cups rice
8 cups fish stock
8 king-sized langoustines or prawns
8 mussles
1/2 pound shrimp
8 ounces fresh or frozen peas
2 tomatoes, first skinned and then chopped. (Tip: skin the tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water for a few seconds then running them under cold water. The skin will peel right off.)
2 cloves of garlic sliced very thinly
3 strands of saffron crumbled by hand.

You will also need good virgin olive oil for frying the seafood.

Start by sautéing the garlic in a paella pan. Add tomatoes, peas, shrimp and saffron. Let this cook just until the garlic is tender, but don’t let it burn. It will ruin the entire dish. Add the uncooked rice and stock. Let this simmer for about 20 minutes so the rice can absorb the stock and plump up. You will want to cover the dish so the liquid does not evaporate too quickly. Poach the rest of the seafood in boiling water for just a few minutes.

It’s All About Presentation

Paella is even more delicious when it is presented in the traditional manner. A large flat platter is the perfect dish to layout the rice mixture then top with the individual seafood in a decorative way. You can garnish your creation with some lemon wedges and serve some extra lemon in another dish to compliment the seafood.

In other variations of paella, you would begin the same way. Instead of stirring in the shrimp, however, you would sauté the chicken or other meat until it is about ¾ way cooked. You can top with other cooked meats at the presentation time and garnish with lemon as well.

This signature dish of Spain is gaining popularity worldwide. Special paella pans can be purchased online and at retailers around the world. The tell-tale shape of a large flat pan, almost like a frying pan but a bit deeper is often adorned with gold or stainless steel handles. The lid is a must, since a properly fitting lid is needed to regulate how fast the liquid soaks up.

Robert Carlton wrote mainly for http://www.alicante-spain.com , a web publication on the topic of Spain , spanish culture and other problems. You can discover his articles on paella over at http://www.alicante-spain.com/spain-tips/paella.html and other sources for paella information.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Web recipes-on-the-net.com

17 Secrets To a Great Paella by Matt Wasserman
An Easy Quick Recipe Idea - The Kids Will Love This Frito Pie by Diane Watkins
Artful Cooking (ebook package with over 14,000 recipes and over 190 bonus ebooks)
Asparagus Quiche by Paul Rinehart
Beef Pot Pie Recipe - Homemade Beef Pot Pie by Brandy Summers
Beefy Mushroom Pot Pie by Cristie Will
Best Casserole Recipe: Easy Tex Mex Hash by Donna Monday
Best Casserole Recipe: Southwestern Rice Casserole by Donna Monday
Best Casserole Recipe: Texas Tater Casserole by Donna Monday
Best Recipes: Southwest Chicken Skillet Casserole by Donna Monday
Breakfast Casserole by Jack Graham
Brisket or Corned Beef with Ancho Chili Sauce for St. Patrick's Day by Pat Schraier
Chicken Broccoli Casserole by John DeGraw
Chicken Casserole Recipes by Chadwick Sanders
Chicken Enchilada Recipes - Easy & Quick To Prepare! by Nathalie Sanders
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe - Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe by Brandy Summers
Chicken Quiche Lorraine With Broccoli Salad by Michael Russell
Chicken Spaghetti Recipes by Nathalie Sanders
Chicken Tetrazzini by Jim Rutherford
Chili Relleno Recipes - Chili Relleno Casserole Recipe by Brandy Summers
Creating Your Own Pizza by Audrey Okaneko
Crock Pot Casseroles are the Quintessential One Dish Meal by Natalie Schloesser
Crock Pot Recipe for Lasagna by Natalie Schloesser
Crustless Crab Quiche with Red Pepper and Scallions by Harriet Hodgson
Deep Dish Chicken Pot Pie Recipe by Janie Hotchkiss
Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipes by Noraini Maskuri
Easy, Frugal Tuna Casserole Recipes by Rachel Paxton
E-Cookbooks Library - The Home of World Class Recipes
Eggplant Parmigiana by Mia LeCron
Enchilada – A Simple Yet Delicious Mexican Delicacy by Chris McCarthy
Flan Tins and Mushroom and Blue Cheese Quiche Recipe by Elizabeth Webb
Fresh Paella Anyone? by Robert Carlton
Frito Pie Recipe - Funtabulous Frito Pie by Brandy Summers
Green Bean Casserole Pockets by Cristie Will
Healthy and Hearty Lentil Lasagna For Vegetarian’s by Angie Lewis
Homemade Hot Giardiniera Pizza by Phillip Speciale
Host A Fall Gathering With Family And Friends by Natalie Meester
How to Cook the Perfect Pot Roast by Shauna Hanus
How To Make A Great Hungarian Goulash by Andrew Routledge
How To Make Pizza - A Step By Step Guide on How To Make Pizza by Kalpagam Swaminathan
Ideas For Good Casseroles by Mario Oreilly
Kid Friendly Enchilada Recipes by Lesley Dietschy
Kid Friendly Lasagna by Lesley Dietschy
King Ranch Chicken by RoTel®
Lasagna Recipe and Tips by David Slone
Lasagne Recipe: Best Lasagne Recipe in the World by Donna Monday
Light Veggie Lasagna by Cristie Will
Make Homemade Pizza by Jan Kovarik
Meat Pie Recipe - Easy Turkey Pot Pie Recipe by Brandy Summers
Mexi Lasagna by Cristie Will
Pizza Dough Recipes by Franklin Graham
Pizza Sauce Recipe - Incredibly Fresh Tasting by Lee Griffith
Pizza Therapy - Learn How to Have Fun, Save Money, and Make Pizza
Prepare Paella Like A Pro by Lee Dobbins
Recipe Builder - Recipe Maintenance Made Easy
Roast Beef Dinner Recipe by Janie Hotchkiss
Sanitation & Safety
Seafood Casserole by global
Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria - The Best Pizza Comes from Your Own Kitchen
Shepherd's Pie Recipe by Kit Heathcock
Shepherds Pie Recipe - Ground Beef Shepherds Pie Recipe by Brandy Summers
Sour Cream and Red Beef Enchiladas by Cristie Will
Spaghetti Casserole by Cristie Will
Spaghetti Pie Recipe - Best Spaghetti Pie by Brandy Summers
Spicy Spaghetti Pie by Cristie Will
Super Lasagna by Cristie Will
Tamales by Brian Smith
Vegetarian Lasagna by Melissa Lastelle
Vegetarian Spinach Quiche Recipe with Bean and Corn Salad by Angela Drummond
Veggie Shepherd's Pie by Cristie Will

< Back to Paella Recipes