'Socarrat' - is the description given to Paella that has been cooked to perfection. By definition standards it is 'the delectable crust that forms at the bottom of the Paella Pan when the liquid is rendered and the rice has reached its peak of succulence.' For the Spanish a Paella without Socarrat is not a Paella.
For my Spanish friends, particularly those who come from Valencia where this dish is most famous, a Paella must also meet other criteria; it is made with chicken, rabbit, green beans and white beans. Anything else is a variation on tradition and is not the real thing.
Paella is one of my favourite dishes. My love for it began when I went to visit Valencia a few years ago. I ended up having it everyday for the entire weekend, each day I tried a different variation of it.
I have been asking Estherita for some time now to show me how to make an authentic Paella, and today was the day. We did it step by step and hopefully I'll be able to remake it through memory. But the result was 'socarrat' and so unbelievably tasty.
Muchas Gracias Estherita for the lesson in Paella.
xx
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