Induction Enamel Paella Pan

A paella pan with a strong enamel coating is the most easy-to-use and easy-to-clean and does not require seasoning with oil to last years of your paella-making genius.

If you have an electric, induction or AGA hob, you need the extra feature of a completely flat and heavier bottom to your pan, so that the heat disperses most effectively. These pans can, of course, also be used on gas and open flames, but if you have a gas hob or ring burner you may want to check out my Enamel Paella Pans for a larger range of lighter, less expensive pans.

Each pan has a traditional “dimpled” base to help the heat spread evenly & quickly. This feature is important because the paella rice should not be stirred during the simmering process but allowed to sit and gradually soak up the juices to preserve the separation of the grains and allow a light crispiness to form on the part of the paella that is in contact with the base.

Because of the way that the heat conducts through the pan, it is recommended that less density of ingredients are used in a induction paella pan than in a pan used on gas, hence the servings that the pan is ideal for are lower:

30cm Pan – about 2 servings – £22.99

34cm Pan – about 4 servings – £27.99

38cm Pan – about 6 servings – £34.99

If you hav received a pan with instructions in spanish only, you can download the English version here:

Garcima Pata Negra Pan Instructions (English Version)

Manufactured by top Spanish cookware company Garcima from cold laminated steel, the pans are spun to form their shape and then enamelled in the company’s own kilns. Garcima use a thicker gauge steel than other manufacturers which produces a stronger pan less susceptible to warping.

For Paella of course :)

Wash in mild soapy water before first use. To clean after use, avoid using harsh abrasives materials or chemicals. Even burnt-on food will lift easily if the pan is left to soak in hot soapy water and rubbed with a cloth or gentle scourer. Not recommended for the dishwasher.

This luxury Andalucian Paella recipe involves a fair amount of work, mainly in the preparation, but the result is really worth the effort. It’s important to use the best quality ingredients because this recipe ensures that all of the flavours and aromas of the ingredients actually stay within the Paella, and continue to develop even after cooking. This recipe should take about an hour to complete.

Ingredients
1 kg clams or mussels
500g prawns
1 small chicken or rabbit
200g pork loin cut into cubes
75ml extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 dried ñora pepper (if available)
1 small onion, minced
2 green peppers cut into strips
300g squid cut into rings
2 large tomatoes
500g bomba rice
1.25 litres stock
10-12 strands saffron
10 peppercorns
½ tsp paprika (for meat paellas use 1-2 tsp)
salt (to taste)
100g cooked peas
1 small jar roasted red peppers

Prepare the fish, meat and stock
1.Clean clams & steam for 3 mins to open. Discard the free half-shell & set aside the remaining clams in the single shell. Strain & reserve the cooking water.
2.Cook prawns in their shells in a little water until they turn pink. Strain and reserve the liquid.
3.Cut the chicken into serving pieces, put the bony parts into hot water for stock for about 20 mins.
4.Combine all the liquids to make 1.25 litres stock, adding extra water if necessary.

Prepare the paella
5.In the paella pan, heat 50ml oil & brown the chicken & pork, turning often. Remove to a dish when nicely browned.
6.Add the onions & peppers to the paella pan, sauté for a few mins. Add in the garlic, the ñora pepper & bay leaf & sauté for 1 min.
7.Add the squid rings and continue to sauté.
8.Add the tomatoes & increase the heat so they start to ‘fry’ in the oil. Add the fried meat & remaining oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.
9.Add the rice & cook briefly, stirring until all the grains are coated and turn opaque.
10.Heat the stock if cooled & add to the rice, keeping the heat high.

Prepare and add the seasoning
11.In a mortar, crush the saffron with the salt, then add the peppercorns & continue to grind. Finally add the paprika & dilute mixture in a little of the paella liquid before adding to the pan. Stir in well.

Simmer and serve
12.Turn down the heat & allow the paella to simmer for about 20 minutes, until the rice tender but with a kernel of hardness in the centre.
13.Place reserved clams, prawns, peas and strips of pimientos on the surface of the dish for garnish.
14.Give the pan a careful shake to prevent rice from sticking on the bottom before removing from heat. Cover pan with foil and let paella sit for 10 mins before serving. Serve direct from the pan with lemon quarters.

If you are short on time or ingredients, here are some variations:

Vary the meat and seafood ingredients, or even replace with vegetarian options, according to your taste and what you have available – this is exactly how so many variants of Paella have evolved in Spain.

If you can’t prepare meat and seafood from whole, use good quality prepared meat or fish (fresh or frozen) and use good quality ready-made stock or stock cubes (check for nasties on the label).

Add chorizo at the chicken stage (step 6) for extra bite.

Substitute a sachet of El Avion Natural Paella Seasoning at step 11. It comes in a box of 3 sachets contains various spices including saffron and turmeric (known as Indian saffron in medieval Europe) to give a remarkable flavour to the Paella.

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