Paella is a summer kitchen favorite and everyone's friend :) In summer, cooking takes on new dimensions when food is prepared outdoors. Hanging around the summer kitchen and participating in food preparation and table setting are part of the social aspect of dining. Easy to make, colorful and delicious paella is the perfect choice for a summer food favorite. It's also easy to pick a fresh, fruity, mineral and subtly toasted wine as a food pairing.
Spanish paella naturally pairs well with Spanish cavas Pares Balta Brut B and Pares Balta Pink.
Brut 'b' is one of Finland's most popular organic sparkling wines. It's characterized by the nuance and harmony of organic wine. Pink 'p' is a delicate and elegant cava with soft bubbles and is dominated by a touch of red berries. Both organic sparkling wines are vegan.
Read more about Brut 'b' and Pink 'p' here.
Nuance connects paella and its wine companions. The fruitiness of the wines and the ripe aromas of the dish build a balanced whole. Fresh, fruity cava adds a stylish extra dimension to the meal, and the toasted aftertaste of sparkling wine complements the corresponding aromas of paella. Organic wines are the wine favorites of our time, so Pares Balta's naturally produced biodynamic sparkling wines work well as wine companions for paella. The fruitiness and freshness of the cavas complement well the combination of seafood and spices in the dish.
Paella, 6–8 servings:
250 g seafood, such as shrimp, scallops and tiger prawn tails
8 dl chicken stock
3 unseasoned chicken fillets in strips
1 onion, chopped
red bell pepper, sliced
3 tomatoes, diced
3.0 dl risotto rice
2 dl cooked beans in pieces or thin green asparagus in pieces
2 dl white wine
olive oil
crushed garlic
turmeric or saffron
1 lime in wedges
salt, cayenne pepper
Here's how:
Prepare the chicken stock. Set aside 2 dl of chicken stock and cook the risotto rice in the remaining stock. Slice and dice the ingredients. Paella cooks quickly, so bring all ingredients close to the cooking area. Sauté the onion and crushed garlic in oil in a paella pan. Add and cook the chicken and bell pepper strips. Pour in the tomato pieces, turmeric and white wine. Stir often and add chicken stock or white wine as needed. This keeps the paella moist enough. Add the cooked rice and let them get some color in the pan. Finally add the beans/asparagus and seafood.
Let the flavors settle for a moment, season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lime wedges and serve the paella straight from the pan.
The Finnish version of the dish is made from your favorite ingredients in a homey way, even in a paella pan
Paella is a traditional rice dish from Valencia, Spain, which has taken its name from the shallow and round frying pan, paella. The secret to paella's flavors is cooking over an open fire, where different aromas combine in the pan into an interesting whole. Paella is perfect for a summer cottage evening or a garden party because of its ease, flavors and social nature!
Text, recipe and photos: Heikki Remes. www.viinimies.com
