Papa's Paella: Hemingway's Dining Delight + Recipe

“We ate in pavilions on the sand. Then we ate paella with fresh sea food, clams in their shells, mussels, crayfish, and small eels. All the time drinking a white wine, cold, light and good.”

~ For Whom The Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway

Paella is highly adaptable and ideally suited for our Southern dining experience. Its origins in Spanish cuisine align well with the Mediterranean flavors commonly found in the South. The vibrant colors, fresh ingredients, and bold flavors are reminiscent of our culinary traditions.

Paella is a visual delight with stimulating flavors.Photo byDown South Today

The flexibility of paella allows for the incorporation of local ingredients that are readily available in Georgia and other Southern states. Whether it's adding more and different seafood, seasonal Southern vegetables, or tantalizing spices, this dish can easily be tailored to reflect the local flavors and preferences.

Paella is communal. It aligns with the warm and welcoming hospitality often associated with Southern dining. It encourages sharing and creates a sense of togetherness, making it a perfect dish for gatherings and celebrations. The versatility of paella also makes it suitable for both festive gatherings like Tailgating or intimate dinners at home.

And, don’t overlook wine. Albariño, a dry and delicious white wine from Spain pairs beautifully.

Papa’s Paella-From Ernest Hemingway’s Writings

Ingredients:

olive oil

10-12 fresh tiger prawns (you need the heads and shells for the stock)

1 onion

1 fennel bulb

4 tsp tomato puree

1 big tomato, chopped

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ cup brandy

a few sprigs of thyme

2 bay leaves

2 litres of water

1 onion

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

3 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

250g squid

1 tsp smoked paprika

400g rice (Bomba or Calasparra–short grain rice)

300g mussels

300g chorizo (you can add other seafood in its place)

lemon wedges for serving

Instructions:

Start with 10-12 fresh tiger prawns.

Lob off their heads and peel the shells and cook them (the heads and shells) in a good dollop of olive oil in a large stockpot for 2 minutes. The actual prawns get set aside in the fridge for the paella.

Next add 1 onion and 1 fennel bulb, both sliced n’ diced for 10 minutes until caramelised.

Whip in 4 tsp tomato puree, 1 big fat chopped tomato, 1 tsp smoked paprika and ½ cup brandy.

Stir it all together, toss in a bunch of thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves and add in 2 litres of water.

Bring all of this to a boil, then bring down to a simmer, and leave for 45 minutes until reduced to half the amount of liquid.

Dice 1 onion, 1 red pepper, and 1 green pepper.

Slice 3 garlic cloves, and set aside 2 bay leaves.

Clean 250g squid and slice into rings.

Spoon out 1 tsp paprika and measure out 400g of rice (Bomba or Calasparra is apparently best).

Have your little saffron packet ready.

And clean any other seafood. They called for 300g each of mussels and clams, but we added a handful of mussels and chopped chorizo instead.

When the 45 minutes of stock brewing is done, strain the liquid into a bowl, ready to be used.

Fire up the stove, add the paella pan and a good drop of olive oil.

Now, add everything, with 2 minutes in between each item, and stirring each item in. Onion, 2 minutes. Both peppers, 2 minutes. garlic, 2 minutes. Squid, 2 minutes. Bay leaves, 2 minutes. Paprika, 2 minutes. Rice (mix it in well), 2 minutes.

Add the saffron and most of the stock, bring back to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

Now, do. not. stir. This is your first time? Don’t worry, you’ll probably burn the bottoms for sure. But it’ll still taste good.

After 10 minutes, push in the rest of the seafood into the mixture. Prawns? check. Mussels? check.

If it’s getting too dry, add a little more of the stock, but in 8 minutes, you’re finishing cooking paella.

Set aside for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!