6.011
16 (Fri) January 2015
Gerard Nebesky’s Paella
1.5
by me
in my apartment
-Ermita, Manila-
solo
Back when I was living in Los Angeles and watching nothing but The Food Network on television, my favorite program was Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay. Not that I was particularly impressed by his culinary skills, but the daily theme typically revolved around a simple American-style meat dish, which is what I like to make. Though I can’t recall if I ever tried to recreate anything specifically that I saw on the program, I’m sure that it generally inspired me.
The cookbook is my first and only from Bobby Flay. Acquired a couple years back during a research trip to Manila, I haven’t attempted anything from it until tonight.
With a pantry full of Spanish ingredients (see generally 5.364 Grilled Shrimp & Olives…), I tried the paella.
Alas, it didn’t turn out so great. I went with the guest recipe, a more traditional version requiring fewer steps and ingredients. The trick was not to stir the rice so that a crust would form, but the problem was that the rice on top remained undercooked by the time that the bottom was nearly burnt–yes, even at the lowest heat level. The chicken was also still pink. So, I mixed everything together and cooked it for another 30 minutes, at which point the previously undercooked rice was cooked, but the previously cooked rice was now overcooked. Texture aside, it tasted okay. Oh well.
a small critique: your pan looks a little too deep. aren’t traditional paella pans rather shallow? i assume probably to avoid the problem you had – undercooked rice on top, overcooked on bottom.
this pan– a “paella” pan, by le creuset — is pretty shallow. i’ve made perfectly fine paellas with it before. but the recipe doesn’t involve putting the lid on, so the heat doesn’t cook the top… whatever.
i also meant to mention that this new format requires you to take at least one really good picture of the meal. after 5 years i am just now starting to be impressed with your camera skillz.
uhh, thanks, but i sincerely don’t think i have camera skillz. i certainly don’t know what i’m doing, which is why photos in bad lighting always come out looking like crap, and why i can never get the depth of field correct, which is why certain images are way too focused on a single point but blurry everywhere else, which is more evident now that this blog format zooms into the image. also with the bigger image, the lesser quality of my cheap DSLR is evident, but i don’t care enough to buy a more expensive camera or lens.
but thanks!