Grilled Paella is inarguably the live fire dish of Spanish coastal summers. Just imagine enjoying a long afternoon of sunny skies and a gentle breeze, lounging by the seaside on the western Mediterranean sipping crisp white wine amongst family and friends while a smoky, white-hot barbecue loaded with freshly harvest herbs and produce from land and sea slowly simmers to tender, fragrant perfection.
Take. Me. Away. Now.
With origins dating hundreds of years past to southeastern Spain’s L’Albufera de València, paella is a free-style peasant dish that was served in celebratory community gatherings – stewed in large, shallow steel pans over a bed of smoldering coals, the recipe traditionally featured a sticky white rice called, senia, and was layered with saltwater snails, wild rabbit, duck, tomato, white beans, dried paprika, rosemary and saffron. Little has changed over the centuries as it pertains to the art of cultivating a breathtaking paella. Above all, the beauty of paella, then and now – it’s intoxicating aroma, essence of flavor, bold textures and intricate complexities lie solely in the dish’s simplicity.