Paella Valenciana | Kenji's Cooking Show

This will be the last video shot outside at my current home. Future outdoor videos will be at my new place, so... take from that what you will.

This is a pretty traditional paella. If you’re super purist maybe my lack of rabbit or the addition of piquillo peppers will upset you, though. Maybe not. Maybe it’s the use of the wrong type of beans. Maybe not. Either way make a comment about it because it boosts engagement which YouTube likes.

I was testing out how well my recommended outdoor wok burner (the power flamer 160 from outdoorstirfry.com) world for paella. Heat management is a little tough (because low heat is still really hot). If I had a little more control I would have browned the chicken (or rabbit) a little more gently.

Paella Valenciana
Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 pounds (1200g) chicken leg pieces, rabbit pieces, or a mix
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound (225g) green beans or runner beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch segments
1/2 pound (225g) fresh or frozen lima, butter, or fava beans
A few cloves of garlic, finely minced
3 ripe Roma tomatoes (about 8 ounces, 225g), split in half, the cut-side rubbed through the large holes of a box grater, skins discarded
2 teaspoons (about 3g) Spanish smoked paprika
Pinch saffron threads
2 cups (around 400g) short grain rice, preferably Bomba (arborio or any other rice will do fine)
5 cups (1200ml) water
4-5 rosemary sprigs
Lemon wedges for serving

1. Heat olive oil in a paella or in a large carbon steel or cast iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. Reduce heat to medium, add chicken and/or rabbit, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly browned on most sides, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the green beans and lima beans. Stir into the chicken. Add garlic and immediately stir into the other ingredients to prevent burning. When the garlic is aromatic (about 1 minute), push ingredients the side of the pan then add tomatoes directly to center. Let the tomatoes cook down a bit, then stir them into the other ingredients.

3. Push everything to the sides again and add smoked paprika and saffron directly to the center. Bloom the spices by stirring them in the olive oil and rendered chicken fat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir everything together.

4. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and coated in the bloomed spice mixture, about 2 minutes. Add water and rosemary sprigs. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and stir everything together well, making sure that the rice is all submerged.

5. Bring to a simmer and cook without stirring g until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed (you may need to add more liquid if it gets too dry before the rice is fully cooked; just pour it evenly around the top), 15 to 20 minutes total.

6. If desired, keep cooking until a crispy crust forms on the bottom of the rice (test this by scraping some rice off the bottom with a stiff wooden spatula). Serve immediately with lemon wedges.