# Jamie Oliver causes controversy in Spain



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Apparently Jamie Oliver has upset many Spaniards by publishing a recipe for paella which includes chorizo:-

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...o-brings-fractured-spain-together-against-him

Can't stand the stuff myself, whatever it's made with (nor chorizo for that matter) so I have no opinion on the matter!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> Apparently Jamie Oliver has upset many Spaniards by publishing a recipe for paella which includes chorizo:-
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...o-brings-fractured-spain-together-against-him
> 
> Can't stand the stuff myself, whatever it's made with (nor chorizo for that matter) so I have no opinion on the matter!


Paella simply doesn't have chorizo in it :mad2:

Mind you, Karlos Arguiñano on Antena 3 made paella with peas the other week which would have all the local Valencian yayas hopping mad!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

In Britain they put chorizo (or choritso as most people say) with the most bizarre things and say it's Spanish. I see a lot of chicken and chorizo when I'm there and I don't think I've ever seen that combination here.
I'm not saying don't do it, but just don't say it's Spanish


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## mickbcn (Feb 4, 2013)

THE BEST PAELLA (in my opinion)


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mickbcn said:


> https://youtu.be/rxnd8QHbX70
> THE BEST PAELLA (in my opinion)


looking good!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

We've got another thread about the Spanish reluctance to innovate and resistance to change when it comes to food...


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

I never really "got" paella until I went to the Levante and tried one there: a thin layer of rice and a lovely caramelised socarrat. I just looked at the picture of Jamie Oliver's "paella" and knew instantly that he had missed the point. As for chorizo? I've had rice with chorizo and chicken in Madrid a few times, but it was called "arroz con pollo" instead of "paella".

My favourite paella recipe at the moment is this one:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...est-spanish-recipes-part-2-ofm-paella-seafood

Mainly because it's relatively quick (you don't need to make a sofrito) and you don't need to use a pre-made stock.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> Can't stand the stuff myself, whatever it's made with (nor chorizo for that matter) so I have no opinion on the matter!



Crunchy rice with acid sausage, lol.
Think I'm with you on this.


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

mickbcn said:


> THE BEST PAELLA (in my opinion)


The video says to use a generous fistful of rice per person, and later you add two and a half parts of broth for each portion of rice. Errr, how do you measure 2.5 fistfuls of scalding hot broth? Seriously, there are some interesting ideas in the video that I will try. 

I hope the paella purists crack down on their compatriots who use artificial orange coloring instead of saffron, and Manchegans who add kidney to their paella.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Actually ... come to think of it ... there's a recipe for "paella" with pork, spinach and chorizo in the first "Moro" cookbook (I made it a few times, several years ago)


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Chopera said:


> Actually ... come to think of it ... there's a recipe for "paella" with pork, spinach and chorizo in the first "Moro" cookbook (I made it a few times, several years ago)


I've got that book, there's a photo of burnt _tortilla de patatas_ which any self-respecting Spaniard would put in the bin. Some nice recipes but more than a bit pretentious.

I make _arroz caldoso_ with whatever is in the cupboard, including chorizo, but I wouldn't call it paella. I also put the paellera in the oven for the last ten minutes, which is probably against someone's religion as well.

La cocina es mundo libre, as my guru Enrique Sánchez would say.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> La cocina es mundo libre, as my guru Enrique Sánchez would say.


I'd go along with that: It does annoy when people say for example if you add vinegar/ bread/ onion/ garlic or whatever ingredient you wish, it's not gazpacho. There is NOT one recipe for gazpacho. There are different versions of it.

I was once given a recipe book for salads . Confusion. Recipes for salads??


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

when we were little, my mam tried to make a paella, but wasn't very successful, so instead we called it 'yellow rice' (arroz amarillo) with chicken, and since then, over 40 years, we still have that at home, arroz amarillo. 

We'd never call it paella. You can put whatever you want, but don't call it paella. lol! 

It is like if I make a shepherd pie with chicken, and rabbit and call it Shepherds Pie.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

when we were little, my mam tried to make a paella, but wasn't very successful, so instead we called it 'yellow rice' (arroz amarillo) with chicken, and since then, over 40 years, we still have that at home, arroz amarillo. 

We'd never call it paella. You can put whatever you want, but don't call it paella. lol! 

It is like if I make a shepherd pie with chicken, and rabbit and call it Shepherds Pie.


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## rspltd (Jul 5, 2016)

It surely depends on which region in Spain they are made. According to Wikipedia the meats and vegetables added to the Paella vary. Paella can have several or no meats in it. Here are a few of the traditional ones. Rabbit, or chicken, snails, Spanish smoked sausage like Chorizo. Snails are common. Seafood can be shrimp, mussels, clams, lobster and crab.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

rspltd said:


> It surely depends on which region in Spain they are made. According to Wikipedia the meats and vegetables added to the Paella vary. Paella can have several or no meats in it. Here are a few of the traditional ones. Rabbit, or chicken, snails, Spanish smoked sausage like Chorizo. Snails are common. Seafood can be shrimp, mussels, clams, lobster and crab.


It most likely started off with peasants taking a bag of rice and a paella dish to whichever field/boat they worked in, throwing in whatever they could get hold of at lunch time, and cooking it over a fire (which many experts say is still required to get the authentic flavour). So I guess you could argue that the "spirit" of paella is to use whatever you have at hand.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Arroz con pollo is a very popular dish in Spain, but no Spanish person will call it paella, however, a foreign might think it is a paella, simply because it contains rice. 

There are lots of rice dishes in Spain, from region to region but there is only one paella.  It is not really big deal, but I went to Albir once (they cater for the foreign people there I have to say), and I saw really really really really awful combinations and they called it PAELLA or even COCIDO MADRILEñO.... aaarghhh!!


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> Apparently Jamie Oliver has upset many Spaniards by publishing a recipe for paella which includes chorizo:-
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...o-brings-fractured-spain-together-against-him
> 
> Can't stand the stuff myself, whatever it's made with (nor chorizo for that matter) so I have no opinion on the matter!


Paella is very popular in France - their version I hasten to add  In this area, close to the Spanish border but a long way from Valencia, I have never seen paella made without chorizo, but perhaps that's because we are close to NW Spain. That said, I don't think chorizo belongs in paella - but then, I used to live in the Alicante/Valencia region. I'm a bit fussy about paella, if the rice is overcooked it's horrible, if it hasn't been cooked traditionally it can also be horrid, if turmeric is used instead of saffron it's definitely not as good and too much turmeric is an absolute disaster.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

The recipe for most dishes including paella are not written in stone but as I find Jamie an oik I'll go with the flow and say he should be banned forever from any kitchen.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Chopera said:


> It most likely started off with peasants taking a bag of rice and a paella dish to whichever field/boat they worked in, throwing in whatever they could get hold of at lunch time, and cooking it over a fire (which many experts say is still required to get the authentic flavour). So I guess you could argue that the "spirit" of paella is to use whatever you have at hand.


I think it started off with the peasants working in the Valencian rice fields? If they were near the coast they'd add sea food, if they were inland they'd add snails etc. Whatever was to hand. Cooking it over fire gives you a nice crispy burnt bottom (no tittering at the back please).


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Tittering.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Young Mr Oliver also uses beef and not rabbit in his Stifado recipe......this is beyond the pale.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

bob_bob said:


> Young Mr Oliver also uses beef and not rabbit in his Stifado recipe......this is beyond the pale.


Wonder if that's where the Spanish word "estafado" originated? (I can't stand rabbit so kudos to Oliver on that one)


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

bob_bob said:


> Young Mr Oliver also uses beef and not rabbit in his Stifado recipe......this is beyond the pale.


He isn't alone.


Stifado recipe - Greek and Corfiot Dishes by Taverna Agni Corfu

I've never seen stifado on a Greek taverna menu (when they have one and you're not just invited into the kitchen to inspect what's on offer) made with rabbit, if I had I would never have ordered it.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

bob_bob said:


> The recipe for most dishes including paella are not written in stone but as I find Jamie an oik I'll go with the flow and say he should be banned forever from any kitchen.


Bit of publicity for him. Has he got a new book out not the first country he has "upset" when a book is out. I suspect the story originated from his Publicist. I find him irritating.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Stifado/estofado both mean stewed so the root is obviously the same. 

I'm no expert at all but would think that just about anything stewed could be described as such.:noidea:


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Señora Skipper makes a lovely paella (she was taught by our neighbour, a retired Spanish restaurateur and chef) but she also regularly cooks a variety of chicken and rice dishes in the paella pan and throws in anything she thinks will taste nice. I don't care what it is called so long as it looks good, tastes good and does you good (as the Guinness ads used to say!). Interestingly, our Spanish neighbours don't agree on how to make a paella and criticise each other's versions (probably because one is from Andalucia and the other is from Valencia).


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

The Skipper said:


> Señora Skipper makes a lovely paella (she was taught by our neighbour, a retired Spanish restaurateur and chef) but she also regularly cooks a variety of chicken and rice dishes in the paella pan and throws in anything she thinks will taste nice. I don't care what it is called so long as it looks good, tastes good and does you good (as the Guinness ads used to say!). Interestingly, our Spanish neighbours don't agree on how to make a paella and criticise each other's versions (probably because one is from Andalucia and the other is from Valencia).


Even if they are from around here they will disagree. With Rabbit or not, only meat or mixed with seafood, with artichokes or not, - really so many varieties.

I just know what I like and it's all of them but my favourite is mixed with gambas, sepia, rabbit, chicken, mussles etc.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> I just know what I like and it's all of them but my favourite is mixed with gambas, sepia, rabbit, chicken, *muscles *etc.


I'm hoping you mean mussels!


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Back to Jamie, I have to confess I can't stand him - mainly because, at least in the shows I've seen, he's not very hygienic (IMO) when it comes to food preparation - even my Aussie ex used to watch in absolute horror.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Lynn R said:


> He isn't alone.
> 
> 
> Stifado recipe - Greek and Corfiot Dishes by Taverna Agni Corfu
> ...


I'm going on when I was living on Cyprus and was told they only made beef Stifado for the tourists, the real deal was rabbit only.

I stopped shooting bunnies a few years back now, to eat that is, sometimes I'll bag a few for friends but its very rare. Its OK meat, low fat / high protein so perfect if your on a diet but it really does need slow cooking so Stifado is ideal.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

bob_bob said:


> I'm going on when I was living on Cyprus and was told they only made beef Stifado for the tourists, the real deal was rabbit only.
> 
> I stopped shooting bunnies a few years back now, to eat that is, sometimes I'll bag a few for friends but its very rare. Its OK meat, low fat / high protein so perfect if your on a diet but it really does need slow cooking so Stifado is ideal.


More than 30 years ago, I remember being in a taverna in Heraklion on Crete, a back street kind of place. I was there alone and was the only foreigner, and the only woman, in the place. I asked for the menu and was invited into the kitchen as they didn't have menus (not uncommon). I went to pick up my bag to follow the waiter into the kitchen and he said indignantly "no, no, we have no robbers here" and made me leave it where it was! Looked at what was on offer that day and opted for the stifado (which I love) and it was indeed beef. I speak and read a bit of Greek (learned Ancient Greek at school) so I can distingush between beef and rabbit quite easily.

I suppose I should agree with what my vegetarian husband says, that if we eat meat we should be happy to eat any kind of meat, be it cat, dog, rabbit or whatever, but I can't get over my revulsion at the idea of eating "fluffy bunnies" although I know the meat is very lean and said to be good healthwise.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Rabbit Starvation | The Dabbler Rabbits can kill you !!!!!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Please don't eat wild rabbit in Spain. They were nearly wiped out first by myxomatosis and then by viral hemorrhagic disease, and their decline has had a devastating effect on the populations of Iberian lynx, imperial eagles and other wild species that depend on them for food. Attempts to restock rabbit populations are being thwarted by hunters who can get money from selling them to restaurants.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

bob_bob said:


> Rabbit Starvation | The Dabbler Rabbits can kill you !!!!!


Better avoid bunny then. My liver's probably shot anyway for ...umm... other reasons.:frown:


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Please don't eat wild rabbit in Spain. They were nearly wiped out first by myxomatosis and then by viral hemorrhagic disease, and their decline has had a devastating effect on the populations of Iberian lynx, imperial eagles and other wild species that depend on them for food. Attempts to restock rabbit populations are being thwarted by hunters who can get money from selling them to restaurants.


Wow, around here we have a real problem with too many rabbits and they are regularly shot by locals.

We're forever eating and using wild rabbit in our paella.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

bob_bob said:


> Rabbit Starvation | The Dabbler Rabbits can kill you !!!!!


Yep I saw the movie too...


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