It was founded in 138 A.D. as a Roman colony but truly blossomed under the Moors and their development of the region as an agricultural center.
Valencia is one of the most diverse vegetable and citrus producers in Spain. From orange groves that stretch to the Mediterrannean to artichokes and even dates the region is blessed by sea breezes and plenty of sunshine.
But it's best known product is rice. Almost all Spanish dishes that begin with the word "arroz" owe their fame to this region. Thre most famous of these of course is paella.
The word paella, of course, refers to the pan in which the rice was cooked. But to the world outside of Spain, it has come to mean a rice dish with seafood and sometimes chicken.
The varieties of paella in Spain however, are as endless as the local ingredients. I know a woman from Cataluna for whom a typical and favorite paella, of her region is arroz a la Catalana or rice with rabbit and butifarra. Butifarra is a locally made sausage.
Although the argument rages over which paella is more authentic or "real," no one disputes the fact that Valencia is the birthplace of the dish. Valencia is where the rice is grown and from where almost all the classic Spanish rice dishes originate. The traditional Paella a la Valenciana, is made with snails, rabbit and green string beans, or favas( habas ). What follows is a recipe for the recipe we all think of as Paella a la Valenciana.
Paella a la Valenciana
The Stock
5 ½ C fish stock
½ C white wine
1 t saffron
Paella
1 ½ # lobster shelled, cut into pieces (You can leave claws whole for presentation if you like!)
20 mussels cleaned
½ # medium shrimp cleaned
1 # squid cleaned and cut into ½ inch rings
1 # monkfish cut into one inch pieces
½ C olive oil
3 tomatoes grated, discard skin
12 cloves garlic, 6 minced, 6 finely sliced
2 t paprika
1 T roughly chopped parsley
3 C paella rice
½ C peas
2 roasted red peppers, peeled, cut into ½ inch strips
1 medium spanish onion medium dice
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 and bring the stock to a simmer. Heat the oil in paella pan and sear the lobster 1 min. Season. Remove. Cook monkfish, shrimp, season, 2 minutes and remove. Cook onion, garlic, add paprika, 3-4 min. Add tomato and rice stir to coat. Add the fish stock and stir frequently. After 10 min., add peas, parsley, shrimp, and monkfish. Arrange mussels, lobster claws and roasted peppers. Place in oven 10 min.
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