Best paella

[robie]

I ran across this story in the BBC.  It's impossible for me to believe that Adria and Robuchon are wrong but her paella sounds a little bit too simple and one note for my taste.  Has anyone ever had Josefa Navarro's paella?

 

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20160510-the-humblest-paella-beloved-by-chefs

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I don't know, without having tasted her dish. It is hard to argue with the accolades from her very credible fans, though. I do know that the Italian approach to food, which is to highlight stellar fresh ingredients cannot be beat, and also that when I was a young cook, I would often ruin a good dish by adding things to put my personal mark on it.

 

Many times simplicity is the best way to go.

 

Josefa Navarro seems to really get that concept and has built up quite the impressive following with her philosophy. I'd love to try it, although I'm sure it must be quite an expensive meal for her to make a living off so few covers as described in the linked article.

[EnriqueB]

Too simple? No, that's exactly how an authentic paella must be. Most rices called "paellas" are not that, even in Spain and even in Valencia, and precisely overcrowding them is considered one of the worst mistakes. The star of any real paella is the rice and it must shine over any other ingredient.

[gulfporter]

53 minutes ago, EnriqueB said:

Too simple? No, that's exactly how an authentic paella must be. Most rices called "paellas" are not that, even in Spain and even in Valencia, and precisely overcrowding them is considered one of the worst mistakes. The star of any real paella is the rice and it must shine over any other ingredient.

And for me, without a decent socarrat, it's an inferior paella.  

[pbear]

Umm, from the article, "After about 20 minutes, the liquid has reduced and the rice sticks flat to the pan. Navarro doesn't have to taste it to know it's done. She plucks the pan out of the fire and leaves it to rest."