Making an authentic homemade paella doesn't come down to a mysterious knack, but to the quality of the Spanish ingredients you put in the pan. In Switzerland it's easy to find rice and paprika, but rarely the precise varieties that make the difference between plain saffron rice and a true paella. Here are the ingredients that really matter and how to get hold of them.
An authentic homemade paella starts with the right rice
Rice is the heart of any paella. It must absorb the stock without turning sticky and keep its bite. Plaza del Sol rice (J. Sendra) is a round variety from the Valencia region, made exactly for this: it drinks up the stock, takes on flavour and stays firm. Avoid long-grain or risotto rice, which behave differently.
A few simple rules for paella rice:
- Allow around 80 to 100 g of raw rice per person.
- Once the rice is in, you stop stirring: that's what lets the socarrat form, the thin golden crust at the bottom.
- Respect the stock ratio, usually two to three times the volume of rice.
Saffron and paprika: the soul of paella
The golden colour and aroma of a real paella come from saffron, never from a dye. Carmencita saffron brings that floral aroma and deep hue that define the dish. A few threads are enough: lightly toast them, then let them steep in a little warm stock before adding.
The paprika (pimentón) builds the aromatic base of the sofrito. Finca La Barca's pimentón de La Vera, smoked over oak wood, gives that depth so typical of Spanish cooking. La Chinata also offers excellent pimentóns to vary between sweet and smoked.
Olive oil, the sofrito and the toppings
It all begins in the pan with a good extra virgin olive oil. The Hojiblanca AOVE from Almazara Terraverne is used to sear the meat or seafood and to build the sofrito of tomato, garlic and onion that perfumes the rice.
The toppings depend on your version. For a seafood paella, the Catalan tinned products from Espinaler bring high-quality seafood. Plaza del Sol also offers preserves and olives that round out the Spanish aperitif around the table.
Order it all in Switzerland, with no customs
Gathering these ingredients in Switzerland couldn't be simpler. At Orígenes everything ships from our Swiss warehouse in Villeneuve: no customs, no VAT to pay on delivery, and shipping costs of 4 CHF (up to 2 kg) or 7 CHF above that. Shipping is free from 59 CHF of purchase.
Instead of hunting for each product separately, start from a selection built for paella: rice, saffron, pimentón and olive oil together.
