Valencian Paella: Recipe for the Original Paella with Rabbit
Authentic Valencian paella contains no seafood — only chicken, rabbit, flat green beans, tomatoes and rice cooked over an open fire. This is the peasant dish of Valencia, originating in the 19th century.
History of the dish
Paella (from Latin 'patella', the pan) was born in the countryside around Valencia. Peasants made it for lunch in the fields, using whatever was available: chicken, rabbit, snails, beans. Seafood paella is a later adaptation.
Key ingredients
Round-grain bomba rice (or arborio), chicken, rabbit, flat green beans (bajoqueta), large white beans (garrofón), tomatoes, paprika, saffron, stock, olive oil, salt, rosemary.
How to cook at home
Rice to stock ratio: 1:3.5 for bomba rice. Key: do not stir the rice after adding the stock. At the end, raise the heat for 1–2 minutes to form the socarrat — the toasted crust at the bottom. This is the mark of mastery.
