One of the most common Valencian appetizers is called Esgarraet, Especant or Esguellat (depending on the location). It is a salad of roasted vegetables, salted cod, garlic and olive oil. Depending on the area, different vegetables are used, although the basic ones are aubergines and red peppers. Cocas, empanadillas and rosquilletas are other very common appetizers in all Valencian homes and bakeries.
But without a doubt, the dish that arouses the most admiration and controversy at the same time is the famous Paella. But what are the ingredients of traditional Valencian Paella? Paella has many variations depending on the area in which it is prepared, such as vegetable Paella, seafood Paella, meat Paella, mixed... Although the most popular is Meat Paella and could be defined as "Valencian Paella ". The main ingredients with which it is prepared are: round rice, chicken, rabbit, garrofó, green beans and fresh rosemary. A term associated with Paella is socarrat and many are fans of this crunchy effect of rice in Paella, which is obtained at the very end of cooking.
If you want to explore more about the ingredients of Paella and become true professional paelleros masters, you can consult further information on Wikipaella, a website where you can find out which ingredients are traditionally used to prepare the classic Paellas of the Valencian Community.
Another popular and recognized dish is Fideuà, more typical of the Valencian coastal areas. Fideuà is prepared like Paella, but its ingredients are vermicelli, fresh fish and seafood from every local fishmonger.
For the broth:
- 1.5 kg of fish waste
- 5 liters of cold water
For Fideuà:
- 500 g of monkfish
- 500 g of cuttlefish
- 6 red prawns
- 6 scampi
- 200 g of chopped tomato
- 1 onion
- 30 g of sweet paprika
- 600 g vermicelli nº 3 (fideua/ fideo fino)
- 150 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- Saffron threads
- 1 clove of garlic
- salt
Main ingredients: Vermicelli
Main course
Style: Home cooking, Seafood cuisine, Spanish cuisine.
Setting: Grandma's, Friends.
Tempo: High
Difficulty: Low
Diners: 4
First, let's prepare the broth. In a pan we add oil and, when it is hot, add the fish scraps and cover with water.
When the water starts to boil, cook for 40 minutes. We filter and set aside.
Subsequently, for the Fideuà, we put the paella on the stove with the oil over a moderate heat. When it is hot, add the prawns and scampi, brown a little and set them aside.
Then we add the diced monkfish to the paella and cook it. Let's put it aside.
Add the cuttlefish to the paella and cook with the paprika. Add the onion and garlic, both chopped.
Add the vermicelli to the paella and brown. Pour in the grated tomato and mix.
We cover the paella with a liter of broth and sprinkle the saffron. Let it cook for 10 minutes and add salt.
We add the monkfish, scampi and prawns to the paella and arrange them around the Fideuà.
Let it rest for 5 minutes and serve.
SUGGESTIONS
We recommend using a pan with a diameter of 46 centimeters for optimal preparation.