Paella ingredient substitutions

I'm waiting on an order from LaTienda to arrive, but I want to season and try out my new paella pan tomorrow, and need to make some substitutions with ingredients. The only short grain rice I have in the house right now is Arborio. Can I substitute that for the Calasparra Paella Rice with OK results?
Also, our kitchen shop carries paella pans, I am picking up a 15-inch, carbon steel, with dimples on the bottom. They told me the carbon steel was a better conductor of heat than stainless....what do you think?
There is no Jamon Serrano ham to be found here...any suggestions on what else I can use? I do have Pancetta in the freezer, might that work with OK results, or Prosciutto di Parma?
I want to serve Paella to friends next month but need to do a trial run and make sure my pan is seasoned. I will have the correct ingredients then. Except for the ham.

The arborio will work great--in fact that is what I always use for Paella.
Also, my favorite Spanish restaurant in Florida always used sliced chorizo in theirs. I think that would be an excellent replacement for the ham.

[Jenise]

Karen,

Congratulations on getting into the paella game--you'll love it.

Re the substitutions: I've seen arborio reccomended as a substitution even by some Spaniards, but I found it imparted too much starch the one time I used it, and so if I'm out of the bomba rice I favor for paella I use Japanese style shortgrain--Calrose is a perfect paella rice, matter of fact.

Is the ham going in the paella? Let me tell you what I'd do: eat the Jamon, throw the pancetta in the paella. Honestly, jamon is the most heavenly ham in the world, and I think the meat would be close to wasted when cooked away in the strong flavors of a good paella--they didn't stuff that pig with acorns and then hang his legs in the barn for two years to see it relegated to mere flavoring!

HI, Karen
The Arborio rice is absolutely a good substitution to use in Paella. It is a little starchy, but I find that the starch helps build that crust on the bottom that is so prized in a good pan of Paella. A good substitution for the jambon is linguisa, chorizo, or even andouille would work. Good luck.

I'd use a copper or aluminum skillet (with stainless steel lining)--much better heat conduction and distribution than cast iron or steel.

Paella has no fixed rules. The substitutions you're considering are well within the parameters of the dish.

-Paul W.

The reason to fuss over the pan is because you want a good crispy crust -- called "socarrat" -- to form on the bottom. Stainless is easier to clean but the carbon steel transmits heat a little better.