Day 17: A Jump into the Unknown
Victor is butchering a goat, so it’s down to me to begin service. For 30 minutes I’m running the show.
It’s about 10 minutes before service when I notice Victor.
It’s hard not to notice him, not just because he is bigger than life, but because he has just slapped a whole goat onto the work surface, which he plans to butcher.
He’s just getting started; the problem is so is service.
And suddenly it dawns on me. I’m going to have to begin service. Alone.
It’s Day 17 of my 100 Day Chef Stage, and amongst a million other tasks, so far I’ve learnt to use a knife properly and had a taste of the darker side of chef life.
Each day I get pushed beyond my comfort zone - and it seems like tonight will be another jump into the unknown.
Tonight I will for the first time be going it alone in a professional kitchen.
“Don’t worry,” says Victor, who has probably just seen my face go paler than the goat’s, “It’s all up on the wall.”
He jerks his head over towards a piece of paper stuck up by the window.
I look over.
Pinned up, in dodgy hand-scrawled shorthand are the recipes; each paella requiring slightly different quantities of saffron, stock, salt, oil and rice.
We’ve been doing these rice dishes for the past couple of days and I’ve watched Victor add a ladle of this, a teaspoon of that, a pinch of this, a drizzle of that.
Each dish an exact science of quantities, time and temperature.
El Monastrell specialises in gourmet paella (arroces), like Chickpea and Calves Foot, Langoustine and Rabbit, Quail and Aubergine, Plankton with Pistachio.
Gourmet and intense, these are very different to the huge paellas you’ll find in the beach side chiringuitos stuffed with prawns and chicken.
The first order rolls in. “Four Quail and Aubergine.”
“Use the right rice,” calls out Victor. He is watching my like a hawk, even as he chops through the goat’s hind quarters.
The Right Rice.
Now, this is more complex than it seems, (I’ll explain in a moment) but laid out in front of me are four tubs of rice, all seemingly very similar.
I dig deep into the brain cells… Bomba? Then I scan the piece of paper, to double check - yes it’s bomba!
Good, least I’ve got the right rice.
Using the wrong rice would be unforgivable, although I’m not sure how many of us would be able to tell the difference?
Of course, we’d all notice if it was say, a long grain basmati. Long grain in a paella! Now that, that my amigos would be like baking bread with plain flour, or putting oil on your jacket potato instead of butter. You can do it if you want, but, well, yes, err. Exactly.
But here using the “right rice” does not just mean medium or long grain, instead it refers to the right variety of medium-grain.
Each paella is made with a specific variety; Bomba, Senia, Albufera and Calaspara.
Head chef Maria Jose San Roman is an arroz specialist, and these details matter.
Outside Spain, supermarkets make life easy (too easy?) and just package it up as “Paella Rice.”
But examine the packets you are buying and you should fine the variety.
Bomba is best for beginners, as it carries a lot of flavour, and has a wide cooking margin.
Senia is preferred by specialists for its creamy, soft texture - but it’s easy to overcook.
Albufera is a cross between Bomba and Senia, and is a great all rounder, but it is difficult to find outside of Spain.
Calasparra has the largest capacity for absorbing stock, up to 4 times its weight in fluid.
Any of the above will do, as will “Paella Rice” just don’t use basmati!
Back to the burners. And I’m pleased to report, my section is under control. With Victor still elbow deep in goat, I’m running the show.
Around me the pans stack up, like Paella Jenga.
Basically my job is to prep the dish.
Each paellera must have the right amount and type of stock, salmoretta, saffron, salt.
Some have a handful of chickpeas, others grilled aubergine slices.
Small tubs of the “right” rice have been weighed and are on standby.
Everything is ready to go.
I am now just waiting for head chef, Federico to give me the go ahead, and I will begin to cook the first paella.
Which is why I have mixed feelings when Victor reappears.
Because really this is just the warm up, and I’d really like to compete.
In sporting terms, what I’ve just done is nothing more than the warm up.
I’m at that moment, just before it all begins. Just before the gun fires, the referee shouts Hajime, the light turns green.
And that is as far as I get to go.
Victor strolls over. With a paper towel, he wipes the last bit of goat off his elbow with a paper towel, and nods at me.
He looks at his watch just as Federico calls in the first order. He has obviously timed this to perfection.
More orders roll in, and we fall into synch, I prepare the paellas, and Victor cooks them.
And as the cooking begins, and the pace quickens, I realise as much as I’d like to have carried on, I’m not ready yet.
I’m still a way off doing the whole service, but I got through the warm-up just fine.
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Great article, good to have you back. X
Todo aprendizaje empieza con el calentamiento 😜