Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 13, Episode 21 - Paella - full transcript

MY HOME POT RACK
HOUSES QUITE A FEW
COOKING VESSELS,

BUT THIS ONE IS UNIQUE.

THIS IS A PAELLA, ALL RIGHT?

NOW PAELLA, UM,
HAPPENS TO MEAN "PAN,"

COMES FROM THE LATIN, "PATELLA,"
WHICH MEANS "PLATE,"

IT'S ALSO WHERE WE GET OUR WORD
FOR KNEECAP, LONG STORY...

CALLING IT A PAELLA PAN
WOULD BE LIKE CALLING IT
"PAN PAN,"

WHICH WOULD MAKE YOU SOUND
EITHER REALLY SILLY
OR LIKE A GUY SELLING PIZZA.

NOW IT'S UNIQUE
FOR SEVERAL REASONS...

ONE, IT'S COMPOSED OF
HIGH CARBON STEEL,

SO IT'S A VERY SPEEDY
CONDUCTOR OF HEAT,



MUCH FASTER THAN SAY,
STAINLESS STEEL,

BUT, LIKE CAST IRON,
IT CAN RUST IF IT'S NOT
CARED FOR PROPERLY.

IT IS EXTREMELY LIGHT,
ALMOST FLIMSY IN CONSTRUCTION,

NOT A CHARACTERISTIC
TYPICALLY SYNONYMOUS OF
QUALITY COOKWARE,

BECAUSE IT SIMPLY WILL NOT
EVENLY HEAT

UNLESS IT'S PLACED OVER
A VERY, VERY WIDE,
EVEN HEAT SOURCE.

UM, IT'S SIZE IS UNUSUAL,
AT 15 INCHES ACROSS,

SO IT'S 177 INCHES OF
COOKING SPACE,

AND YET, THE SIDE'S ONLY
1 3/4 INCHES HIGH.

SO WHATEVER IS GOING
TO COOK IN HERE,

IS GOING TO BE SPREAD
VERY, VERY THINLY.

IT HAS WIDE‐LOOPED HANDLES,
SO IT'S HARD TO GET
IN AND OUT OF AN OVEN.

AND, OH, EVEN MORE CURIOUS

IS THE FACT THAT THE PAELLA
COMES IN 16 STANDARD SIZES,



RANGING FROM A LILLIPUTIAN
8 INCHES,

UP TO 52 INCHES,

7 INCHES WIDER THAN THE GONG
JOHN BONHAM WHOMPED ON

DURING ZEPPELIN'S '77 TOUR,

AND I KNOW,
BECAUSE I WAS THERE!

IN SHORT, THE PAELLA,
WHICH NEVER COMES WITH A LID,

IS A CULINARY ODDBALL,
WHICH TO THE CASUAL OBSERVER,

MIGHT APPEAR TO BE
A UNI‐TASKER.

ME, I LOOK AT THE PAELLA
AND SEE LOTS OF LOVELY...



IF WE'RE GOING TO GET
OUR COLLECTIVE HEADS
AROUND THIS PAELLA CONCEPT,

WE WOULD DO WELL TO CONSIDER
A FEW THOUSAND YEARS OF
SPANISH HISTORY FIRST.

STARTING WITH THE ROMANS,

WHO CONQUERED AND RULED MOST OF
THE IBERIAN PENINSULA,

BETWEEN UH, 218 AND 17 B. C.

NOW BESIDES, UH, ADVANCED
ROAD‐BUILDING TECHNIQUES,
AQUEDUCTS AND THE LIKE,

ROME INTRODUCED THE PATELLA,

WHICH HAD A CURVED,
RATHER THAN A FLAT BOTTOM.

INTENDED PRIMARILY FOR FRYING,

THIS WOK‐LIKE VESSEL
WAS VERSATILE, PORTABLE,

AND COULD EVEN DOUBLE
AS A SHIELD IN A PINCH.

ALL RIGHT, UNCLE, UNCLE,
UNCLE.

WHEW...
EVENTUALLY, ROME RECEDED.

ONLY TO BE REPLACED
A FEW CENTURIES LATER BY
THE MOORS,

A MIXTURE OF ISLAMIC PEOPLES
FROM NORTHERN AFRICA,

INCLUDING THOSE OF ARAB
AND BERBER DESCENT.

THEY BROUGHT SOPHISTICATED
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES,
INCLUDING IRRIGATION,

AND A HOST OF NEW CROPS,

LIKE ORANGES, AND SAFFRON,
AND RICE,

WHICH WAS PLANTED ALL AROUND
VALENCIA, WHERE IT GROWS
TO THIS DAY.

OH, AND DURING THIS TIME,
THE PATELLA WAS ACTUALLY

ADAPTED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE
RICE‐FRIENDLY.

LOOK FAMILIAR ‐‐
I THOUGHT SO.

WELL EVENTUALLY CHRISTIAN
ARMIES HOPING TO SPREAD

THE SMELLY MEDIEVALISM
OF THE DARK AGES

OVER SPAIN'S CULTURE
OF SCIENCE, EDUCATION,
ART AND ENLIGHTENMENT,

UH, RAN THE MOORS
SLAP OUT OF TOWN.

BUT, THE RICE CULTURE
AND THE PAELLA REMAINED.

NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT
THAT RICE FOR A SECOND.

MOST AMERICANS ARE FAMILIAR
WITH LONG GRAIN OR INDICA RICES,

WHICH ARE MUCH LONGER THAN
THEY ARE WIDE.

NOW IF YOU WERE TO UNZIP
ONE OF THESE AND LOOK INSIDE

YOU'D SEE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF
STARCH STRUCTURES ‐‐

YOU'D SEE THIS KIND OF, UH,
CLUSTERED, STAR‐SHAPED,

MULTI‐BRANCHED AMYLOPECTIN
MOLECULE,

AND YOU'D SEE A LOT MORE
OF THE LONG AND STRAIGHT

AMYLOSE STARCH STRUCTURES.

BECAUSE IT HAS SO MUCH
AMYLOSE, THIS RICE WILL ACTUALLY

COOK UP LIGHT, FLUFFY,
AND, KEY WORD, SEPARATE ‐‐

WE LIKE SEPARATE RICE HERE
IN AMERICA.

AND WHEN COOLED,
WELL IT BECOMES VERY,
VERY CRUNCHY

BECAUSE ALL OF THESE MOLECULES
TEND TO REALIGN,

TO CRYSTALLIZE, IN FACT,

WHICH IS WHY REFRIGERATED,
LEFTOVER CHINESE TAKEOUT RICE

IS UM, LIKE CHEWING ON ROCKS
'TIL YOU RE‐HEAT IT.

NOW, THE RICE THAT THE MOORS
PLANTED IN SPAIN

IS A MEDIUM‐GRAINED
JAPONICA RICE,

OBVIOUSLY MUCH SHORTER
THAN LONG GRAIN,
AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ROTUND.

IF YOU WERE TO OPEN UP
ONE OF THESE GUYS,

YOU'D SEE A MUCH HIGHER NUMBER
OF THE AMYLOPECTIN MOLECULES.

THAT ALLOWS THIS RICE TO
REMAIN FIRM EVEN WHEN COMPLETELY
COOKED.

AND, IT ALSO PROMOTES
STICKINESS...

AS THE STARCH SEEPS OUT
AROUND THE RICE,

IT CAN GRAB HOLD OF
OTHER KERNELS,
LITERALLY ADHESING,

SO THAT MAKES SOME
VERY INTERESTING
CULINARY POSSIBILITIES,

LIKE PAELLA, POSSIBLE.

THANKS TO THE INTERNET,
AMERICAN COOKS CAN CHOOSE

FROM A WIDE RANGE OF AUTHENTIC
EUROPEAN RICES

FOR THEIR PAELLA,

STARTING, OF COURSE,
WITH SPANISH RICES.

NOW HERE WE HAVE THE FAMED...

FROM MURCIA...TECHNICALLY,
A SHORT‐GRAINED RICE,

BUT IT IS THE BOUTIQUE RICE
OF SPAIN,

WITH BOUTIQUE PRICES TO MATCH.

I TYPICALLY REACH FOR A RICE
LABELED AS...

WHICH IS NOT REALLY A VARIETY,
PER SE,

BUT RATHER A MIXTURE OF
SENIA AND BAHIA RICES.

AND THEN HERE, WE HAVE
MY VERY FAVORITE....

WHICH IS EASY TO IDENTIFY
BECAUSE IT TRADITIONALLY COMES

IN A BIG CLOTH SACK, LIKE THAT.

NOW IF YOU DON'T GO WITH
A SPANISH RICE,

YOU COULD USE ALMOST ANY
ITALIAN ARBORIO RISOTTO RICE,

BUT KEEP IN MIND, THESE CAN BE
VERY, VERY STICKY TO WORK WITH.

SO IF YOU'RE GONNA GO THAT WAY,
TRY TO REACH FOR A....

FROM THE VENETO REGION.

ALL RIGHT, NOW THAT WE
HAVE CHOSEN

THE APPROPRIATE RICE
TO COOK IN OUR PAELLA,

WE NEED TO CONTEMPLATE
THE LIQUID THE RICE
WILL COOK IN, IN THE PAELLA.

3 CUPS OF RICE
WILL REQUIRE 9 CUPS OF LIQUID,

AND I'M USING
CHICKEN BROTH HERE.

HOMEMADE WOULD BE BEST,
OBVIOUSLY,

BUT IF PACKAGED BROTH
IS A MUST, JUST MAKE SURE
IT'S LOW SODIUM.

I'M GOING TO USE A KETTLE
FOR THIS BECAUSE
IT WILL BE EASIER

TO DOSE INTO THE PAELLA,

JUST BRING IT TO A SIMMER
OVER MEDIUM HIGH HEAT

AND WE WILL FACE THE HARDWARE.

AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED,
THE PAELLA, THE PAN THAT IS,

IS UH, THIN, CARBON STEEL...

AND MUST BE POSITIONED
OVER A VERY, VERY EVEN
HEAT SOURCE

IF IT IS TO PROPERLY PERFORM.

NOW THAT'S ACTUALLY
A DIFFICULT THING TO PULL OFF

IN THE MODERN AMERICAN KITCHEN.

BUT, ASK ANY RELIABLE SPANIARD
AND THEY'LL TELL YOU

THAT PAELLA IS A DISH
ALWAYS PREPARED AL FRESCO,

UM, OVER A FIRE, IN FACT,
BUILT OF ORANGE TREE TRIMMINGS
AND GRAPE VINES.

AND I'M OUT OF BOTH OF THOSE,
BUT...

LUMP CHARCOAL, THAT I'VE GOT.

THAT'S RIGHT, KIDS...
PAELLA IS A GRILLED RICE DISH.

I ALWAYS USE A CHARCOAL CHIMNEY
TO LIGHT MY CHARCOAL,

AND OF COURSE THAT IS A FIRE
JUST WITH SOME NEWSPRINT,

BUT, UM, I LIKE TO SPRITZ
MINE DOWN WITH A LITTLE
VEGETABLE OIL,

ESSENTIALLY TURNING IT INTO
AN OIL LAMP

THAT WILL BURN FOR ABOUT
FOUR TIMES LONGER THAN
THE PAPER WOULD BY ITSELF.

SO THAT'S READY,
NOW THE CHARCOAL...

I WANT EXACTLY 4 POUNDS TOTAL.

AND YES, I REALLY DO WEIGH
MY CHARCOAL,

IT'S THE ONLY WAY
TO BE SURE HERE.

OUR FIRST DOSE WILL BE
2 POUNDS AND THAT WILL GO
DIRECTLY INTO THE CHIMNEY...

BE CAREFUL, YOU'LL GET
A LITTLE DUSTY HERE.

AND WE'LL GO AHEAD
AND FIRE THAT.

THAT SHOULD BE ROCKIN' HOT
IN 10 TO 15 MINUTES.

SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD
AND MEASURE OUT
ANOTHER TWO POUNDS

THAT WE WILL ADD TO THE FIRE
A LITTLE BIT LATER ON...
THERE, I'LL BE BACK.

AFTER THE RICE ITSELF
AND THE COOKING LIQUID,

THERE'S A THIRD,
ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED COMPONENT

FOR THE PAELLA TO BE A PAELLA.

AND THAT IS THE SOFRITO,
WHICH, LIKE THE CREOLE TRINITY,

OR THE FRENCH MIREPOIX,

IS ACTUALLY A MIXTURE OF
AROMATIC VEGETABLES,

IN THIS CASE, BOTH GREEN
AND RED BELL PEPPERS

WILL BE CHOPPED AND COOKED DOWN
IN THE PRESENCE OF...

SOME GARLIC AND GRATED TOMATOES,

WHICH, OF COURSE, YOU WOULD
NEVER KEEP IN HERE, WOULD YOU?

GOOD.



NOW, WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY
WE CAN TURN OUR ATTENTION

TO 1 POUND OF TOMATOES...

THAT'S TWO GOOD‐SIZED SPECIMENS,
LIKE THIS.

NOW THIS MANEUVER MAY SEEM
UNORTHODOX,

BUT IT WILL ACHIEVE
TWO SPECIFIC GOALS,

AND THAT WILL BE TO
FINELY CHOP THE TOMATOES
AND REMOVE THE SKINS.

SO CUT THEM IN HALF,
ACROSS THE EQUATOR,

AND SQUEEZE OUT AS MUCH OF
THE SEED AND PULP AS YOU CAN

INTO A FINE STRAINER ‐‐

MAKE SURE YOU CATCH
THE JUICES THOUGH,
'CAUSE WE'LL BE USING THOSE.

THERE, NOW BREAK OUT
YOUR BOX GRATER...

THAT'S RIGHT ‐‐ A PLAIN,
OLD BOX GRATER,

AND ON THE BIG HOLE SIDE,
HOLD THE TOMATO THUSLY,
AND GRATE.

YOU KNOW, THE ONLY OTHER WAY
TO RELIABLY REMOVE TOMATO SKINS

IS TO BOIL, SHOCK AND PEEL THEM,
AND THAT'S A PAIN.

BESIDES, LOOK AT THIS,
YOU CAN MAKE A WALLET
OUT OF THAT.

SO, ONCE YOU'VE GOT ALL YOUR
TOMATOES GRATED,

GO MOVE THEM INTO
THE TOMATO JUICE...

WE'LL JUST GET RID OF
THE SEEDS AND THE MEMBRANE,

THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF.

OKAY, SOFRITO SOFTWARE
IS READY AND STANDING BY,

THAT LEAVES ONE LAST REQUIRED
COMPONENT...

SPICES.

TWO SPICES, TO BE EXACT.

THE FIRST IS PIMENTON,
OR PAPRIKA, IN SPANISH,

WHICH IS THE DRIED, GROUND
REMAINS OF ANY OF A WIDE RANGE
OF EUROPEAN CHILIS,

FROM BELL PEPPERS
TO STRONGER MEMBERS OF
THE CAPSICUM FAMILY.

NOW, THE SPANISH HAVE
THREE STYLES OF PAPRIKA,

DOLCE, OR SWEET,
AGRIDOLCE, BITTERSWEET,

AND PICANTE, OR HOT.

NOW MOST
ARTISANAL SPANISH PAPRIKAS
HAVE A DISTINCT SMOKINESS

FROM THE FIRES THAT ARE USED
TO DRY TO THE CHILIS,

AND THEY CAN BE MARKETED
AS SMOKED VERSIONS,
IF THEY'RE SMOKY ENOUGH.

NOW THIS ONE IS SMOKED,
SWEET PAPRIKA,

AND IT'S MY FAVORITE ONE.

AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,
PAELLA, THE DISH,

IS JUST RICE IN A PAELLA,

WITHOUT AT LEAST 20 STIGMAS
OF THE FALL‐FLOWERING CROCUS,

WHICH THE MOORS CALLED
"SAHAFARN",

THAT'S A MASH‐UP OF THEIR
WORDS FOR "THREAD"
AND "YELLOW,"

KNOWN FAR AND WIDE TODAY
AS "SAFFRON,"

WHICH ALSO HAPPENS TO BE
THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOOD
ON EARTH,

ON PAR IN FACT, GRAM FOR GRAM,
WITH GOLD ‐‐

WHICH IS WHY I TAKE PRECAUTIONS.

SO WHY IS THIS STUFF
SO EXPENSIVE?

LIGHTS!

FOR ONE THING,
SAFFRON IS UNIQUE.

THESE LITTLE STIGMA ARE
ESSENTIALLY THE BITS
OF BOTANICAL PLUMBING

THAT POLLEN GOES DOWN
FOR REPRODUCTIVE PURPOSES.

THEY CONTAIN A CURIOUS
AND POWERFUL, AROMATIC COMPOUND

CALLED "SAFRANAL,"
A PUNGENT, WOODY,

KIND OF BITTERSWEET FLAVORANT,
CALLED PICROCROCIN,

AND A POTENT PIGMENT AS WELL,
WHICH HAS BEEN USED TO

DYE THE ROBES OF KINGS AND HIGH
PRIESTESSES FOR MILLENNIA.

NOW CONSIDER THE FACT
THAT SAFFRON IS RARE, OKAY?

THE FALL‐FLOWERING CROCUS
DOESN'T GROW IN MANY PARTS
OF THE WORLD,

AND EACH FLOWER ONLY HAS
THREE STIGMA.

AND IT TAKES, ROUGHLY,
70,000 FLOWERS

TO PRODUCE A FINISHED POUND
OF THIS SPICE.

NOW IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT
SAFFRON HAS A LONG HISTORY
OF ADULTERATION,

SO IT HELPS TO KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR,
AND AT.

UM, NOW IN SPANISH MANCHA,

OR IRANIAN PUSHAL GRADES,

THE STIGMA WILL BE
CONNECTED

TO THE YELLOW STILE,
THAT'S KIND OF A TUBE
THAT HOLDS UP THE STIGMA THERE.

NOW ALTHOUGH THE STILE
IS FLAVORLESS,

ITS PRESENCE IN THE SAFFRON
IS A SIGN THAT IT HASN'T
BEEN DYED.

NOW THE STILES HAVE BEEN
PICKED AWAY IN SPANISH
AND KASHMIRI COUPE GRADES,

AND IN IRANIAN SARGOLS,
WHICH MEANS THAT
THEY WILL COST MORE,

AND UNFORTUNATELY,
THEY CAN BE FAKED.

UM, HOW DO YOU AVOID
BEING RIPPED OFF?

WELL THE REAL STUFF
WILL ALWAYS BE
EXPENSIVE, FRAGRANT, AND...

IT WILL VERY QUICKLY
TURN WATER BRIGHT YELLOW.

BEHOLD...

THIS IS ONLY AFTER ABOUT
3 MINUTES ‐‐

YOU CAN SEE THE WATER IS
THIS BRIGHT YELLOW,

AND THE STIGMAS THEMSELVES
ARE STILL VERY DISTINCT,

THEY HAVEN'T DISSOLVED AT ALL.

NOW COMPARE THAT WITH THIS,
UH, DISCOUNT SAFFRON.

OKAY, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE WATER
IS KIND OF MURKY AND REDDISH ‐‐

THAT'S BECAUSE
THERE WERE DYES INVOLVED,

AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSE,
YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE ACTUAL

CROCUS STIGMAS IN THERE,

BUT LOOK, LOOK AT ALL
THIS MUSHY STUFF,
WHAT IS THAT?

WELL, IT'S PROBABLY
SAFFLOWER STIGMAS,

NOT CROCUSES, OKAY ‐‐
THAT'S A RIP‐OFF.

SO MY ADVICE...

BUY SMALL PORTIONS,
SAY HALF A GRAM AT A TIME,

OF SPANISH
OR IRANIAN SAFFRON ‐‐

THOSE ARE USUALLY
THE MOST CONTROLLED ‐‐

BUY FROM A RELIABLE INTERNET
SOURCE, THEY'RE OUT THERE,

AND STORE TIGHTLY SEALED
IN A COOL, DARK, SECRET PLACE.

WHEN IT COMES TO INTEGRATING
SAFFRON INTO THE PAELLA,

I BREAK WITH TRADITIONAL
APPLICATIONS AND SIMPLE ADD
IT DIRECTLY TO THE RAW RICE.

I HAVE...

AND INTO THAT...

NO MORE, NO LESS.

WITH THAT, ADD...

AND...

AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT,
WE CAN ADD A LITTLE
HERBAL ESSENCE,

A TRADITIONAL HERB FOR
PAELLA WOULD BE...

JUST STRIP THE NEEDLES,
OR MOST OF THEM OFF...

AND THEN WE'LL JUST STIR
THAT IN BY HAND.

TECHNICALLY, THE MANDATORY
PARTS LIST FOR A PAELLA
IS COMPLETE.

BUT, SINCE IT'S INTENDED
TO BE SERVED AS AN ENTIRE MEAL,

CERTAIN VEGETAL AND ANIMAL
ADDITIONS ARE PERFECTLY
ACCEPTABLE.

FOR INSTANCE, IN A CLASSIC
VALENCIAN PAELLA,

RABBIT IS REQUIRED.

OH, DON'T ‐‐
DON'T FALL FOR THAT.

RABBITS ARE PERNICIOUS RODENTS,

OVER‐BREEDING VARMINTS WHO
WOULD JUST SOON TAKE OVER
THE WORLD AS...

DIDN'T YOU SEE
"NIGHT OF THE LEPUS?"

I SAY,
EAT THEM BEFORE THEY EAT US.

OH, IS THE LITTLE BUNNY‐WUNNY

SCARED OF THE BIG COOK MAN?

(bunny growling viciously)

WELL, UM, PAELLA'S CERTAINLY
A VERY VERSATILE DISH,

LET'S JUST SEE WHAT'S
IN THE CHILL CHEST.

WELL, IF WE ARE NOT
GOING TO GO WITH RABBIT,

AND WE STILL WANT TO MAINTAIN
ANY KIND OF CREDIBILITY

WITH OUR PAELLA,
AT LEAST WITH THE VALENCIANS,

THEN UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO ADD SNAILS,

WHICH I THINK ARE EASY TO...

YOU'RE NOT READY FOR THIS,
ARE YOU?

FINE, WE'LL STICK WITH
SOMETHING SIMPLE...

ANOTHER TRADITIONAL MEAT
IN MANY SPANISH PAELLAS
IS...

CHICKEN ‐‐
WE'LL GO WITH...

THAT'S PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE.

AND WE'LL GO AHEAD
AND TOSS THOSE WITH

A COUPLE OF TEASPOONS OF
KOSHER SALT.

ALSO, BEANS ARE TRADITIONAL,
EITHER LIMA OR GREEN BEANS,

AND I HAPPEN TO HAVE...

CONVENIENT, ISN'T IT?

ALL RIGHT, OUR BROTH
IS GOOD AND HOT,

AND I'M GOING TO MOVE
5 CUPS OF THAT INTO
A THERMOS,

BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE
ADDING IT TO THE PAELLA
LATER ON.

NOW THE STUFF IN THE KETTLE
WE'RE ABOUT TO USE.

AH GOOD, CHARCOAL IS READY,
SO JUST DUMP THAT OUT,

NICE AND GRAY ASH ‐‐
THAT MEANS IT'S HOT ‐‐

USE LONG TONGS TO SPREAD OUT
THAT CHARCOAL,

AND THEN ADD THE 2 POUNDS
OF RESERVE ON TOP,

PLACE ON YOUR GRILL GRATE
AND YOUR PAELLA,

INTO WHICH GOES...

WHEN IT'S NICE AND HOT,
AND SHIMMERY,

IT IS TIME TO BRING THE CHICKEN
TO THE PARTY,

AND I USUALLY DO THIS
SKIN SIDE UP FIRST,

AND JUST COOK UNTIL
IT'S GOLDEN BROWN AND DELICIOUS.

NOW THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE
A LOT OF FAT, BUT TRUST ME,

AS THE CHICKEN SKIN RENDERS OUT,
THIS AMOUNT WILL NEARLY DOUBLE.

SO 5 TO 6 MINUTES
ON THIS SIDE,

AND WHEN IT'S GOLDEN BROWN
AND DELICIOUS,

FLIP AND COOK FOR ANOTHER
5 TO 6 MINUTES.

THEN WE'VE GOT TO MAKE ROOM
FOR THE VEGETABLES,

SO JUST PUSH THE MEAT OUT
TO THE VERY, VERY EDGE
OF THE PAELLA,

AND DUMP THE PEPPERS,
GARLIC AND THE GREEN BEANS

RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE
AND LET THEM FRY IN THAT FAT

FOR ABOUT 2 TO 3 MINUTES,
OR UNTIL THEY JUST START
TO SOFTEN.

THEN MAKE YOURSELF A LITTLE HOLE
IN THE MIDDLE,

AND BRING THE TOMATOES
TO THE PARTY.

STIR THEM IN
AND ALLOW THEM TO COOK
FOR ANOTHER 4 TO 5 MINUTES.

OKAY, SEE HOW THE LIQUID
HAS THICKENED ALMOST TO
A GRAVY CONSISTENCY?

IT'S TIME TO BRING ON THE RICE,

JUST DUMP RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE,

AND STIR OFF AND ON
FOR 1 MINUTE.

THERE, NOW SIMPLY EVENLY
DISTRIBUTE THE CHICKEN PIECES

ACROSS THE SURFACE OF
THE RICE, SKIN SIDE UP,

AND ADD THE HOT BROTH,
THAT'S THE 4 CUPS.

JUST MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE RICE
IS COMPLETELY SUBMERGED,
BUT JUST BARELY.

AND SET YOUR TIMER
FOR 8 MINUTES.

OKAY, 8 MINUTES HAVE PASSED
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE PAELLA
IS ALMOST DRY.

TIME FOR A SECOND DOSE
OF LIQUID...

BUT I WANT TO DELIVER IT
ONLY WHERE THE RICE LOOKS
A LITTLE ON THE DRY SIDE.

SO GIVE IT A DOSE RIGHT
HERE AND HERE,

AND A LITTLE OVER HERE
AS WELL.

NOW WE'LL LET THIS COOK
FOR ANOTHER 8 MINUTES,

AND WOW, THAT'S SOME
THIRSTY RICE.

ALL RIGHT, TIME TO TEST.

LOOKS GOOD.

TASTES GOOD.

BUT, JUST A HAIR UNDERDONE.

SO LET'S GIVE IT ANOTHER SHOT
OR TWO OF THE RESERVED LIQUID

AND ANOTHER 2 MINUTES
OF COOKING.

THE RICE LOOKS JUST A LITTLE
HARD THERE AND THERE,

SO LET'S DRIZZLE IT ON.

OKAY, WE'RE CLOSE,
BUT I STILL SEE

JUST LITTLE BUBBLES KIND OF
SPITTING UP HERE AND THERE,

THAT MEANS IT'S NOT QUITE DRY
UNDERNEATH,

SO, UM, LET'S LET IT GO
FOR ANOTHER, SAY 3 MINUTES.

AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT BURNING
THE BOTTOM...

REMEMBER, AS WE COAST TO
A PERFECT DONENESS HERE,

THE HEAT FROM THE CHARCOAL
IS ACTUALLY DYING DOWN.

NOW THE RICE LOOKS
NICE AND SHINY,

BUT THERE'S NO LIQUID BUBBLING,
SO I THINK WE'RE DONE HERE.



THIS IS CRUCIAL,
AS THE RESIDUAL OR LEFTOVER HEAT

STILL HAS SOME WORK TO DO,

AND WE WANT THE RICE TO
COOL A BIT SO THAT
THE CRUST SETS JUST SO.

AND DON'T WORRY IF YOU END UP
RESTING BEYOND THE 15‐MINUTE
MARK,

A 1/2 HOUR OR EVEN AN HOUR
WOULDN'T MATTER BECAUSE

MEDIUM GRAIN RICE WON'T
HARDEN UP THE WAY THAT
LONG GRAIN RICE WILL.

BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF
THOSE

"YOUR PATIENCE WILL BE REWARDED"
KIND OF SITUATIONS.

I'LL BE BACK.

AH, THE REST PERIOD IS UP,
TIME TO DIG IN.

NOW, THE THING I LIKE BEST
ABOUT PAELLA,

BESIDES THE FACT THAT
IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND DELICIOUS,

IS THAT UH, YOU TRADITIONALLY
EAT IT DIRECTLY
OUT OF THE PAELLA.

THAT'S RIGHT,
IT'S A COOKING VESSEL,

AND A SERVING PLATTER.

ALL YOU NEED IS A SPOON.

AND ALTHOUGH A BOXWOOD
PAELLA SPOON IS TRADITIONAL,

A BIG OLD SOUP SPOON
WILL DO JUST FINE AS WELL.

NOW THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH
IS TO SIMPLY ASSIGN YOURSELF

THE WEDGE THAT'S
RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU,

AND BEGIN EATING FROM
THE OUTSIDE RIM
TOWARDS THE CENTER.

HMM... DELICIOUS.

IN FACT, IT TASTES LIKE MOOR.

GET IT, IT TASTES LIKE...
NEVER MIND.

AND SO, AMERICA,
WHAT MAY HAVE APPEARED
AT FIRST GLANCE

TO BE A FLIMSY, ANTIQUATED
UNI‐TASKER TURNS OUT TO BE

A POWERFUL ARROW IN OUR
CULINARY QUIVER,

AND WELL DESERVING OF
A PERMANENT POSITION
ON THE POT RACK.

AS FOR THE 52‐INCH
MONSTER PAELLA,

WELL, IT MAY NOT SEEM
VERY PRACTICAL
BUT LOOK AT IT THIS WAY,

UH, IF ZEPPELIN
EVER DOES TOUR AGAIN,

YOU'LL BE READY FOR
THAT SPECIAL MOMENT
IN "WHOLE LOTTA LOVE,"

AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FEED
ALL THE ROADIES AT ONE TIME.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON
"GOOD EATS."

Closed Captions Provided by
Scripps Networks, LLC