Paella

So, I made my first paella tonight. For the sake of those of you who may never have attempted this wonderful dish, please learn from my failures by taking these few suggestions to heart.

1)      Start with the simple Rachael Ray recipe (available on the Internet) before you move on to more authentic (and difficult) recipes.

2)      Whatever recipe you use, read it before starting and follow it while proceeding.

3)      When purchasing the proteins, keep in mind that they all end up in the pan. So in deciding quantities, don’t treat each protein as though it was the only protein. Can you say, leftovers?

4)      Mise en place is everything. I learned this term on Top Chef and kind of smirked at the idea of needing to have everything in place before you start. Having tried to grab things from the cupboard as needed, this is the chastened me saying…Mise en place is everything.

5)      Making paella is not for sissies.

6)      Allow ample time.

7)      When you have dinner at the Simas’s and Sharon and Ernie make a flawless, gorgeous paella while serving drinks and carrying on conversations with their guests, be impressed.