Paella is a traditional recipe of Spain, but there are almost as many variations as there are regions in Spain. And one is more delicious than the next. Paella is made with either seafood, chicken or rabbit, and there is even a vegetarian version. The one unchanging, underlying ingredient is rice.
It is important to make the right rice for Paella. Short grained rice that is cooked slowly is the traditional basic for Paella. The other ingredients can be a combination of all sorts of things, but the rice must be the same. Whole grain or wild rice may be used, but the key is that it cannot be quick cook or minute rice, since the rice must cook slowly to absorb all of the flavors of the dish. When cooking Paella, you know it is done when the stock is all absorbed, but the rice is neither soggy nor dry.
Paella is the perfect dish for a large crowd, even if you have unexpected guests. You can increase the dish by increasing the rice, and almost any ingredients you obtain will work to make a good Paella.
That is part of the magic of Paella: it can be made with any interesting variety of ingredients, as long as you have the right kind of rice and good stock. The...