A perfect paella is something I’m yet to achieve; but endlessly work towards. Thus far, the closest I’ve got to perfection is a “pretty good” paella left overnight eaten cold for breakfast. I’m yet to achieve the revered crispy crust (socarrat); instead oscillating in my overcorrection between burnt and soupy. The good news is that even the failures are delicious.
It’s become an exercise in preference: I’m team green beans over peas; no tomatoes, squid, or chicken please; clams rather than mussels; prawns and homemade chicken stock always. There’s endless combinations of ingredients and my reference recipe seems to include them all. The next move is upgrading the tools from my cast iron on the ceramic cooktop to a paella pan on the barbeque; perhaps paella perfection lives in the pan?
Enjoyed al fresco on a summers evening, a seafood (and chorizo!) paella is a brilliant pairing with the Giunta Crunchy Red.
Giunta Crunchy Red 2021
Two wines in one! Chill it down for a stylish light red and watch it evolve as it warms to develop a spicy edge and crunchy finish. This is a blend of Pinot Noir, Malbec, and Syrah.
