Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain

by Penelope Casas

From the best-selling author of The Little Dishes of Spain and The Foods and Wines of Spain. Unless they have traveled to spain, most Americans have never tasted a really good paella. What passes for paella at restaurants and even in cookbooks here is a pale imitation of the real thing, the vibrant Spanish rice dish that marries the robust flavors of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and pepper with short-grain rice, broth, and meat, fish, or vegetables. Penelope Casas is here to restore the glorious paella to its rightful place as a grain-based meal that will gratify the senses as well as be the centerpiece for easy, elegant entertaining. Casas presents sixty different fascinating paellas, some traditional, some her own creation, showing how easily some of the preparation can be done ahead of time with supermarket ingredients. She includes a superior collection of tapas, the Spanish meal starters, two dozen simple desserts, and a handful of broths and sauces. Her passion for paella, her clear directions, and her creative pairings of fresh ingredients make this unusual cookbook a winner.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Spain

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 11, 1999

About the author

PENELOPE CASAS is one of the best-known and respected experts on Spanish cuisine. She has written about food and travel in Spain for the New York Times, Gourmet, Food & Wine, and Conde Nast Traveler and has published six books on Spanish cuisine. The Spanish government has awarded her both the National Prize of Gastronomy and the Medal of Touristic Merit, and has named her Dame of the Order of Civil Merit. She and her Spanish husband have guided culinary tours throughout Spain.

Reviews

[Md: Amjad · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★

*Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes from Spain* is a wonderful celebration of Spanish cooking and the incredible versatility of rice. The recipes are vibrant, inviting, and full of the flavors that make paella such a beloved dish. I especially enjoyed the variety, which goes far beyond a single traditional preparation and shows just how creative and adaptable Spanish rice cooking can be.

The book does an excellent job of making these dishes feel approachable while still honoring the character and traditions behind them. The combination of fresh ingredients, aromatic seasonings, seafood, meats, and vegetables creates plenty of inspiration for both experienced cooks and anyone eager to explore Spanish cuisine.

What I appreciated most is how this cookbook turns a familiar dish into an entire culinary experience. Each recipe encourages you to slow down, enjoy the process, and bring something special to the table. It is the kind of cookbook that makes you want to head straight into the kitchen and start cooking.

A beautiful choice for lovers of Spanish food, rice dishes, and flavorful home cooking. Five stars!

[Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to learn how to cook an authentic Paella dish... thus is the perfect book for you!

I recently traveled to Barcelona, Spain and had my first taste of a Paella. I loved it. Since that trip I have tried to find places close to home that served Paella. It was not that easy.
So, I decided... why not make my own and so I got this book by Penelope Casas and am so happy that I did.

Casas not only provides excellent and varied recipes on Paella... but also explains the entire history and story of what makes a Paella a Paella.
Along with everything else there are some recipes for appetizers BEFORE the Paella dish and even some gret desserts.

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book ! So good to learn about Paella before you want to make it and also to have some knowledge wired to your brains !

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I bought this many years ago after my first visit to Spain and having acquired a paella pan. Dug it out to re-read having recently purchased a ridiculously huge, authentic pan made in Valencia.

It's a casual read w/some dud recipes but overall solid. Also just purchased and reading Alberto Herraiz' tome "Paella" which also contains a few oddball recipes (I don't think "sweet paella" is or should be a thing) in my hope to master the classic recipes from Valencia, Alicante and Granada (the latter mainly seafood.)

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have not made alot of recipes out of this, and for land-locked midwesterners without a Spanish butcher, it is hard to fully explore these, but the author is excellent

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of interesting combos, but not very many pictures.

[patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to rate this one without making a single paella -- I'm not set up for that yet. I did pickup some interesting sauce recipes from this book.

[Joni · Rating 3 out of 5]

some great vegetarian recipes, too