Life: Idiotropic

Enrique and Elisa are from a beautiful little village near Benidorm in the more beautiful southern part of the Valencian province and I have the pleasure of knowing them because our daughters are friends at school.  Today they came over to cook a paella for us and show us how it's done.  What an experience!  It was really fun to watch.  Like most American families, the art of BBQ is dominated by the men and quite frankly, I think most women (at least this one) is glad of this because it's one less area of the house for which we are ultimately responsible.  Let them grill!  Let's grill every night!  Means less dishes to clean.

In Spain the paella is cooked outside over a wood fire or on a specialized round grill and, like the US, it's done mostly by the men.  I remember our Spanish nights in Germany - men weren't allowed at our women's events, but they came to cook and serve the paella.   (Men are also responsible for cleaning the paella pan both before and after they use it, oiling it well to prevent rusting.)

Elisa told us how delicious her fideua are (a local noodle dish), but the paella... "Enrique does that."  The beautiful thing is, though, that while Enrique controlled the long handled spoons, the whole family was involved.  Elisa and her son ("little Enrique") prepared the vegetables and meats while Enrique prepared the paella pan.  Elisa stood there and visited with us, but also watched the paella and told him if she thought it needed a bit more salt or water or oil.  They made decisions together.  And little Enrique was the one who grabbed the morter and pestle to prepare the pate of garlic and rabbit liver. He was there the entire time watching, helping, and learning.  In about 20 years, it will be his job.


They are the ones that prepare the paella now when they go home for family events in Benidorm as well, but normally Elisa's mom is there to watch over the paella and tell them both if it needs more salt or a little more time.  This was the first time that they've ever cooked a paella without her mom standing there.  "But it's for American's," they joked to her mom, "they won't know the difference!"

We stood around our Spanish BBQ area talking while it cooked and little Enrique picked nísperos off of our tree.   I'd been too scared to try them.  He peeled the thin skin off of one with ease, broke it open to remove the two large brown seeds inside, then handed it to me.  Sweet, cool and watery, a bit tart - really refreshing.  A few minutes later and my girls were picking nísperos and eating them as quickly as they could peel them.


Such a nice day with friends.  For this, I'd cook paella every day.  It's not the dish itself (although this paella was absolutely delicious), it's the time spent together talking around the grill.  That relaxed "no stress" time that seems so hard to find these days.  I love it.  We served fruit salad and green salad with the paella.  Baked parmesan artichoke dip on baguettes for an appetizer.  Green Spanish olives.  American tortilla chips (because the kids love them).  Tiramisu for dessert which Elisa like so well that she says I must make it for Elise's birthday party in a couple days.  I will.

Dining on the patio.  Sitting, relaxing, talking, eating.  Sun and soothing nísperos.  The kids are off playing.  Life is good.


Tools:  (all significantly less expensive if you come to Spain to buy them!)

• 1 paella pan  (this is a nice gift set)
• 2 paella spoons 
• 1 paella grill

Ingredients:

• Vegetables:  Flat green beans, red bell peppers, zucchini, artichokes, carrots (any combination... we just used the beans and peppers)
• Broth
• Crushed tomatoes
• Short grain rice
• Garlic
• Salt
• Meats:  1 chicken, 1/2 rabbit, pork ribs

1:  Clean pan (obviously).  (photo 1:16pm)







2.  Heat pan, then add olive oil.  When the olive oil is heated, add the quartered red bell peppers and cook until slightly charred.  Remove them and set aside.  (photo 1:23pm)
3.  Put the meats into pan to brown - browned well - practically cooked through.  Salt the meat.  (photo 1:30pm)


4.  Remove the rabbit liver and mix it with two cloves of garlic and parsely with a morter and pestle.  Set aside.  (photo 1:38pm)










The meat will be browning well in the oil.   When it is brown like this, it's time to add the beans, then some crushed tomatoes.  (photo 1:42pm)



5.  Add green beans and other vegetables.  (photo 1:42pm)




6.  While the beans are mixed in, measure 1 demitasse cup of rice per person plus 1 for the pan.  That means, one more demitasse cup of rice than the number of people that you're serving.  (photo 1:44pm)
7.  When the beans are tender, add rice and stir well.  (photo 1:51pm)



8.  Add the rabbit liver mixture.  (photo 1:53pm)










 9.  Add water (about double the rice amount) and some chicken broth.  (photo 1:55pm)











10.  Add saffron or coloring and bring to a boil.  (photo 1:56pm)





11.  Boil and cook until the “caldo” is completely absorbed.  (photo 1:56pm)










Put peppers on top.  (photo 2:10pm)



Serve when the water has been completely absorbed into the rice.  (photo 2:27pm)

The traditional way to eat a paella is to gather around it each with a spoon and all eat from the same paella pan.  No plates needed.








Elise and Lola - the sweet little friendship that connected her parents with us and inspired another friendship and this delicious paella!