Paella

Heat the olive oil in a 38–40 cm paella pan over medium-high heat. Cut the chicken into pieces of about 5 cm on the bone and season them with salt. Brown them in the pan for 12–15 minutes, turning, until they are deep golden on every side; they do not need to be cooked through. Trim the green beans, cut them into 4 cm lengths and fry them in the last 3 minutes. Push everything to the edges of the pan.

• olive oil60 mL
• chicken900 g
• green bean200 g
• saltto taste

Grate the tomatoes on a box grater and discard the skins. Slice the garlic thinly. Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic to the cleared centre of the pan and cook it for 30 seconds. Pour in the grated tomato and cook it for 4–6 minutes, stirring, until it is dark, thick and jammy and the oil shows at the edges. Stir in the paprika for 10 seconds, then add the water straight away, because paprika scorches quickly and turns bitter.

• tomato250 g
• garlic3 cloves
• paprika1 tsp

Pour in 1 litre of hot water, add the saffron and stir once to mix the sofrito into it. Bring it to the boil, then keep it at a steady simmer for 10–12 minutes, uncovered, so the chicken finishes cooking and the broth takes on its flavour. Taste the broth. It should taste a little too salty, because the rice will soak up a great deal of it. Add salt now if it is flat.

• water1 L
• saffron1 pinch
• saltto taste

Scatter the rice over the pan in an even layer and nudge it level once with a spoon. Do not stir again. Cook over a strong simmer for the first 8 minutes, then reduce to medium-low for 9–12 minutes more, rotating the pan over the burner so it cooks evenly. The rice is ready when the grains are tender with a slight bite and the broth has gone from the surface. The rice should stand in a thin layer, not a heap.

• rice320 g

In the last minute, turn the heat to high and listen. A faint crackle and a toasted smell mean the bottom layer of rice is forming its crust, the socarrat. Do not stir, and do not let it go black. Take the pan off the heat, cover it with a clean cloth and rest it for 5–10 minutes so the rice firms up. Serve from the pan, with lemon wedges to squeeze over.

• lemon1