Btw, did you know that Nearly one hundred percent of all artichokes grown commercially in the United States are grown in California. While artichokes are a small industry compared to broccoli, grapes, and lettuce, they add nearly $50 million to the economy of the state and a whole lot of panache. Most importantly, artichokes are very healthy. One large artichoke contains only 25 calories, no fat, 170 milligrams of potassium, and is a good source of vitamin C, folate, magnesium and dietary fiber.

This is a wonderful recipe for Artichoke and Kidney Bean Paella . In my view paella is the most famous traditional dish from Mediterranean cuisine. Uses of olive oil makes this dish more delicious. By the way Seafood paella is my favorite dish. But I will try it. Thanks for sharing this nice Artichoke and Kidney Bean Paella recipe.

Thanks for posting this Paella recipe Terilynn. I love paella. It is the number one dish I order in a Spanish restaurant. The best Paella I ever had was at Columbia restaurant located at the pier in St Petersburg, Florida. This Bomba rice sounds somewhat similar to Usna or parboiled rice of India. While Basmati rice is rapidly gaining parboiled rice still remains the most eaten rice in India. I have some friends from Bengal and Hyderabad who simply refuse to eat Basmati more that one time in a week. They eat parboiled rice 2 times a day. Yes, I could imagine that there are hundreds of recipes for paella. However, I must admit that this paella recipe sounds good. I will have to try this before writing more.

There are so many different paellas. Each little village and region in Spain has their special way of making paella. Often a village will have a place where the paella pan as large as 8' diameter will sit uponcoals to cook. Everyone gathers to partake of this fragrant dish. Paella is made using a special rice called Bomba rice. It is a short fat grain and it absorbs three times it's measure in liquid! This special rice takes a lot of care to grow. The basic difference between Bomba rice and others is that Bomba expands in width like an accordion rather than longitudinally, as do other rice strains. It differs from Italian Arborio rice, which is bred to be creamy, and Asian rice, which is meant to be sticky. Bomba absorbs three times its volume in broth (rather than the normal two), yet the grains remain distinct. Bomba is an ancient strain of rice that matures very slowly. It is grown in fresh mountain water around the town of Calasparra in Murcia. Bomba rice produces an exceptionally dehydrated grain when it is harvested, because it has taken such a long time to mature. This enables it to absorb 50% more broth than is the case with the ordinary rices we are accustomed to. When I make paella for the family I make a traditional Valenciana style with chicken, peas, many shellfish and chicken and most important of all good quality Spanish Saffran and of course always Bomba rice. Shanti/Mary-Anne

hmm I did not know paella was frying pan !! But the spanish rice does look nice. :)

For the illiterates like me, Paella is a typical Valencian rice dish from Spain, traditionally eaten on Sundays. The name paella is the word for "frying pan" in Valencian. Todays food trivia!