paella

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I just got back from a very quick trip to Spain (Valencia area: Denia
and Javea) for a wedding and while there I picked up a couple paella
pans.

They are aluminum - and the directions say "before use boil in
water". That's it. I am not sure what that means exactly. I can put
them through the dishwasher or pour boiling water over them. They
are small - a "for 2" and a "for 5".

Tracy
(also looking for any tried and true recipes...)

Do not put any aluminum pans in the dishwasher - ever. The DW detergent
etches the aluminum and ruins the surface. I suggest just filling the
pans with water and boiling for a while.

--
Peter Aitken

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I just got back from a very quick trip to Spain (Valencia area: Denia
and Javea) for a wedding and while there I picked up a couple paella
pans.

They are aluminum - and the directions say "before use boil in
water". That's it. I am not sure what that means exactly. I can put
them through the dishwasher or pour boiling water over them. They
are small - a "for 2" and a "for 5".

Tracy
(also looking for any tried and true recipes...)

I'd guess the directions mean that you should boil water in the pan
before using to prepare food, to help clean off any manufacturing oil
and other gunk that's stuck to it. I've done that with steel pans
before starting to use and season them, but haven't seen directions to
do it with aluminum. Couldn't hurt, though.

Bob

yetanotherBob said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...> I just got back from a very quick trip to Spain (Valencia area: Denia

Quoted message said:

and Javea) for a wedding and while there I picked up a couple paella
pans.

Quoted message said:

They are aluminum - and the directions say "before use boil in
water". That's it. I am not sure what that means exactly. I can put
them through the dishwasher or pour boiling water over them. They
are small - a "for 2" and a "for 5".

Quoted message said:

Tracy
(also looking for any tried and true recipes...)

I'd guess the directions mean that you should boil water in the pan
before using to prepare food, to help clean off any manufacturing oil
and other gunk that's stuck to it. I've done that with steel pans
before starting to use and season them, but haven't seen directions to
do it with aluminum. Couldn't hurt, though.

Bob

<smacking my forehead>
Duh. I think I am still a little foggy from my flight.....

Thanks.
-Tracy

"Tracy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just got back from a very quick trip to Spain (Valencia area: Denia
and Javea) for a wedding and while there I picked up a couple paella
pans.

They are aluminum - and the directions say "before use boil in
water". That's it. I am not sure what that means exactly. I can put
them through the dishwasher or pour boiling water over them. They
are small - a "for 2" and a "for 5".

Tracy
(also looking for any tried and true recipes...)

Years ago I bought a couscous pot from a well-known store in NYC (mail-order
sight-unseen). It wasn't exactly cheap for an aluminum pot. Fairly large,
but was touted as being the real thing.

I did clean it well before using it, but the water in the bottom of the pan
(it was a double-boiler of sorts) became black around the edges. No other
aluminum pans I had at the time did this. First of all, it seemed to me it
was a very low quality of aluminum, if that is possible. But after that I
refused to use it because it was just too unsightly. The couscous didn't
come in contact with the water, but just the thought of it boiling up and
cooking the couscous was more than I wanted to deal with.

If I were you, I'd do what they say. The only possibility that I can figure
out that it means is this: Fill it with water, put it in a high-temp oven
and let it come to a boil.

Ah, this reminds me of a pan I have that gets that black stuff around it
also that is the same quality aluminum. Now I use it for a water bath when
the occasion arises.

I hope yours is a good one.
Dee Dee

"Tracy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just got back from a very quick trip to Spain (Valencia area: Denia
and Javea) for a wedding and while there I picked up a couple paella
pans.

They are aluminum - and the directions say "before use boil in
water". That's it. I am not sure what that means exactly. I can put
them through the dishwasher or pour boiling water over them. They
are small - a "for 2" and a "for 5".

Tracy
(also looking for any tried and true recipes...)

How much does 25 grams of saffron cost in Valencia these days??
I hope you took advantage of that.

Kent

Tracy said:

yetanotherBob said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...> I just got back from a very quick trip to Spain (Valencia area: Denia

Quoted message said:

and Javea) for a wedding and while there I picked up a couple paella
pans.

Quoted message said:

They are aluminum - and the directions say "before use boil in
water". That's it. I am not sure what that means exactly. I can put
them through the dishwasher or pour boiling water over them. They
are small - a "for 2" and a "for 5".

Quoted message said:

Tracy
(also looking for any tried and true recipes...)

I'd guess the directions mean that you should boil water in the pan
before using to prepare food, to help clean off any manufacturing oil
and other gunk that's stuck to it. I've done that with steel pans
before starting to use and season them, but haven't seen directions to
do it with aluminum. Couldn't hurt, though.

Bob

<smacking my forehead>
Duh. I think I am still a little foggy from my flight.....

He's right. I think they probably have a protective coating on them
(or at least a layer of germs) that you may want to boil off. Of
course, it will come off in your first meal anyway. They didn't say
it was not fit for human consumption, so you shouldn't die. If it
came from China, I'd have serious doubts though.
--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:15:46 -0400, "Dee Dee" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Tracy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just got back from a very quick trip to Spain (Valencia area: Denia
and Javea) for a wedding and while there I picked up a couple paella
pans.

They are aluminum - and the directions say "before use boil in
water". That's it. I am not sure what that means exactly. I can put
them through the dishwasher or pour boiling water over them. They
are small - a "for 2" and a "for 5".

Tracy
(also looking for any tried and true recipes...)

Years ago I bought a couscous pot from a well-known store in NYC (mail-order
sight-unseen). It wasn't exactly cheap for an aluminum pot. Fairly large,
but was touted as being the real thing.

I did clean it well before using it, but the water in the bottom of the pan
(it was a double-boiler of sorts) became black around the edges. No other
aluminum pans I had at the time did this. First of all, it seemed to me it
was a very low quality of aluminum, if that is possible. But after that I
refused to use it because it was just too unsightly. The couscous didn't
come in contact with the water, but just the thought of it boiling up and
cooking the couscous was more than I wanted to deal with.

If I were you, I'd do what they say. The only possibility that I can figure
out that it means is this: Fill it with water, put it in a high-temp oven
and let it come to a boil.

Ah, this reminds me of a pan I have that gets that black stuff around it
also that is the same quality aluminum. Now I use it for a water bath when
the occasion arises.

I hope yours is a good one.
Dee Dee

I've never heard of water getting black around the edges, but I
haven't heard everything before either. In any case, isn't the point
of a couscous pan to keep water away from the couscous?
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_2/1101996370cH2F4q.jpg

--

History is a vast early warning system
Norman Cousins

Dee Dee said:

Years ago I bought a couscous pot from a well-known store in NYC (mail-order
sight-unseen). It wasn't exactly cheap for an aluminum pot. Fairly large,
but was touted as being the real thing.

Quoted message said:

I hope yours is a good one.
Dee Dee

Dee Dee,

I think I know what kind of couscous pot you are talking about. My
husband is Moroccan and it is very typical to use an aluminum couscous
pot. I have a stainless pot myself which I received as a gift a few
years ago. It came from Sur La Table. I have never seen a pot turn
like you say. I have seen my SILs use aluminum couscous pots and they
did not get black. Keep in mind that the meat cooks in the bottom
half while the couscous steams in the top - so I would say you
probably did the right think by not using it.....

I ended up just putting them on the stove top and filling with water
and bringing to a boil for a bit. I scrubbed them out after and dried
well.

They are made and Spain and seem to be of a better aluminum than the
couscous pots I have seen. Very heavy.

-Tracy

sf said:

I've never heard of water getting black around the edges, but I
haven't heard everything before either. In any case, isn't the point
of a couscous pan to keep water away from the couscous?http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_2/1101996370cH2F4q.jpg

--

The point of a the couscous pot is to steam the couscous in the top
portion while cooking the meat and vegetables in the bottom. If there
was any question about the safety of using the bottom for food, I
wouldn't use it.

-Tracy

sf said:

I've never heard of water getting black around the edges, but I
haven't heard everything before either. In any case, isn't the point
of a couscous pan to keep water away from the couscous?http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_2/1101996370cH2F4q.jpg

--

The point of a the couscous pot is to steam the couscous in the top
portion while cooking the meat and vegetables in the bottom. If there
was any question about the safety of using the bottom for food, I
wouldn't use it.

-Tracy

Kent said:

How much does 25 grams of saffron cost in Valencia these days??
I hope you took advantage of that.

Kent

I didn't see or look for saffron while I was in Valencia. I didn't
even think to....too much going on with the wedding and so little
time. But while I was at the Madrid airport - the duty free shop had
a container the size of a deck of cards (sorry I wasn't reading the
weight) for about 35 Euros and I also saw a container like you get a
Trader Joe's - little square bottle - for 9 bucks. I didn't buy
any.

-Tracy

"Tracy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

sf said:

I've never heard of water getting black around the edges, but I
haven't heard everything before either. In any case, isn't the point
of a couscous pan to keep water away from the
couscous?http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_2/1101996370cH2F4q.jpg

--

The point of a the couscous pot is to steam the couscous in the top
portion while cooking the meat and vegetables in the bottom. If there
was any question about the safety of using the bottom for food, I
wouldn't use it.

-Tracy

Yes, I didn't use it ever. It was a costly decision at the time because
returns by phone and mail were costly at the time, and I was too timid. I
didn't really NEED something to cook couscous alone in, having other ways to
cook it. But the idea of cooking the stew in the bottom and the couscous on
top appealed to me.

Here is a picture of a pan that reacted the way the couscous pan did when I
put ONLY WATER in the bottom.
http://i21.tinypic.com/10oqhvr.jpg

I never did get to cook a stew. (Laughing) Perhaps if I had cooked a stew
in it, I would've eaten all the black off :-))

Dee Dee

Dee Dee said:

Yes, I didn't use it ever. It was a costly decision at the time because
returns by phone and mail were costly at the time, and I was too timid. I
didn't really NEED something to cook couscous alone in, having other ways to
cook it. But the idea of cooking the stew in the bottom and the couscous on
top appealed to me.

I never did get to cook a stew. (Laughing) Perhaps if I had cooked a stew
in it, I would've eaten all the black off :-))

That looks awful! I have never seen anything like that before.
All this talk of couscous makes me hungry for some. Maybe this
weekend....
The DH recently told me that I make good couscous....for him...this is
a big compliment!

-Tracy

"Tracy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dee Dee said:

Yes, I didn't use it ever. It was a costly decision at the time because
returns by phone and mail were costly at the time, and I was too timid.
I
didn't really NEED something to cook couscous alone in, having other ways
to
cook it. But the idea of cooking the stew in the bottom and the couscous
on
top appealed to me.

I never did get to cook a stew. (Laughing) Perhaps if I had cooked a
stew
in it, I would've eaten all the black off :-))

That looks awful! I have never seen anything like that before.
All this talk of couscous makes me hungry for some. Maybe this
weekend....
The DH recently told me that I make good couscous....for him...this is
a big compliment!

-Tracy

I like couscous, too, but I have never made a good couscous from a first bag
of couscous. It always takes me a while to adjust the water to the newly
purchased couscous. Some couscous you just add water, some you soak and
cook, some you just steam. I just have not been able to find the right
combination.

It is the same for me with the grain to make tabouleh; there are different
sizes, and different hardness to the steaming of it before it gets packaged.
DH doesn't like to eat it before it is cooked/steamed (hygiene). But a
woman in a Turkish market told me that she just soaks it and doesn't cook
it. I have found it successful buying a #2 in that market, but a #2 in one
market is not a #2 in another market.

Oh, well.
Dee Dee

Dee wrote on Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:56:12 -0400:

DD> I like couscous, too, but I have never made a good couscous
DD> from a first bag of couscous. It always takes me a while
DD> to adjust the water to the newly purchased couscous. Some
DD> couscous you just add water, some you soak and cook, some
DD> you just steam. I just have not been able to find the
DD> right combination.

I have found that 1/3 cup water brought to a boil, add 1/4 cup
couscous, bring to boil again, keep warm for 20 minutes, stir,
is a good first technique and usually works for me.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"James Silverton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:o9xKi.8986$Nn4.564@trnddc02...

Quoted message said:

Dee wrote on Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:56:12 -0400:

DD> I like couscous, too, but I have never made a good couscous
DD> from a first bag of couscous. It always takes me a while
DD> to adjust the water to the newly purchased couscous. Some
DD> couscous you just add water, some you soak and cook, some
DD> you just steam. I just have not been able to find the
DD> right combination.

I have found that 1/3 cup water brought to a boil, add 1/4 cup couscous,
bring to boil again, keep warm for 20 minutes, stir, is a good first
technique and usually works for me.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Thanks, James. I'll put this in my couscous file for the next time.
Dee Dee

Dee Dee said:

I like couscous, too, but I have never made a good couscous from a first bag
of couscous. It always takes me a while to adjust the water to the newly
purchased couscous. Some couscous you just add water, some you soak and
cook, some you just steam. I just have not been able to find the right
combination.

It is the same for me with the grain to make tabouleh; there are different
sizes, and different hardness to the steaming of it before it gets packaged.
DH doesn't like to eat it before it is cooked/steamed (hygiene). But a
woman in a Turkish market told me that she just soaks it and doesn't cook
it. I have found it successful buying a #2 in that market, but a #2 in one
market is not a #2 in another market.

Oh, well.
Dee Dee

I sort of know what you mean. I don't make couscous from a box. I
make it from scratch using coarse semolina and whenever I go to the
store to pick some up - I can never remember which one to get. I
usually get lucky. IMNSHO, pouring boiling water over couscous - even
instant - does not make the best product. My technique does include
pouring boiling water(something I learned from a Moroccan) but only
after it has steamed once. Then I steam two more times.

When I make tabouleh, I pour boiling water over the bulghur and let it
sit for 20 minutes....using couscous logic, I could probably steam it
too. I should try it. I am not sure though if it wouldn't fall
through the holes of my steamer.
Next time I make it I will give it a try.

-Tracy