Freezing Paella

[Gruney2 Profile]

It's that time of year when I start to fancy paella. It somehow doesn't feel right to make a single portion, and I'm wondering about freezing three or four portions. I've researched online and got mixed messages - some yes, but importantly, from a Delia site - no. Any t &t views, please - and also chilling for next night? I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work for shellfish - but mine are usually chicken and chorizo based.

[Suelle Profile Website]

I've no experience of freezing, but I just wanted to say that I find paellas and risottos the easiest rice dishes to make in single portions. Much simpler than trying to cook a single portion of plain rice, by the absorption method - I find this next to impossible.

You wouldn't be wasting much if you made two portions and froze one, to see if it worked for you.

I think the problem would be that traditionally these dishes are relatively wet, so the rice might go on absorbing the liquid while it cooled and then was frozen, leaving you with rice which was too mushy when thawed.

[Gruney2 Profile]

Thanks Sue.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I would find paella (unlike risotto) very difficult to make in a single portion, as the joy of paella is the variety of bits and bobs you add, and by the time you have added some chorizo, a bit of chicken and some seafood you end up with more than one serving

I’ve not tried freezing it - I would wonder if the texture of rice and seafood might spoil and also that the flavours of all those bits might merge, this happens a bit if you reheat yesterday’s leftovers. As Suelle says, maybe risk a single portion?

[scullion Profile]

i have overcooked rice in the past and frozen it but never taken sloppy rice out of the freezer - either it was self repairing or it evaporated into thin air.

i would freeze it.
i usually make extra biryani and freeze it for a quick curry at a later date. i don't see that there would be much difference between that and paella - as long as you make sure it's piping hot on thawing.

[Gruney2 Profile]

Thanks both - that's very reassuring. I've been wanting to expand the variety of paellas I make - I usually just make a two potion one in a frying pan - and bought a fairly large paella pan, in the forlorn expectation of company. Anything I freeze, is usually picked out of the freezer when I return from a couple of early doors swifties, and microwaved, so aesthetics aren't an issue. I don't particularly want to poison myself, either.

Thanks again all - most helpful.

[Suelle Profile Website]

I would find paella (unlike risotto) very difficult to make in a single portion, as the joy of paella is the variety of bits and bobs you add, and by the time you have added some chorizo, a bit of chicken and some seafood you end up with more than one serving

I only use 50g of rice, so I need a lot of bits and bobs (mainly vegetables) to make a decent portion size. I don't call it a paella - it's Spanish-style rice.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I often chill leftover rice dishes to have two days running and also freeze them. These might be risottos or Delia's chicken Basque, for example, which contains chicken and chorizo. The texture changes a bit, yes, but it still tastes as good whether reheated, or defrosted and reheated.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

I'm happy to freeze rice dishes generally. There are some airly obvious things, such as prawns, better added fresh to the reheated frozen.