Yet, there are certain guidelines that, if followed, can give the dish a genuine Spanish taste and influence. The first thing you'll need is the proper equipment. A pan 14 or 15 inches in diameter is sufficient to make a paella for four to six people. Andrews, also editor of Saveur magazine, goes on to say that paella masters insist upon cooking the dish over an open fire, or at the very least, a gas burner. Chef Luis Bruno, of Bruno's Eclectic Cuisine in Jackson, Miss., agrees.
Paella is on our menu always. . . .
It should be somewhat the consistency of risotto, it should be creamy with a nice brown crust on the outside. Select seafood based on what is in season in your area. Clearly, the cooking method has as much to do with the correct marriage of flavors and consistency as the ingredients. The chicken is removed to drain and the sausage is then sauteed in the same oil, then removed to drain. The seafood is also sauteed in the same oil, then removed and set aside.