This was published 9 years ago
Simple Spanish rice recipes
Paella is mistakenly thought to be the most popular rice dish in Spain, but Spaniards cook slightly soupier dishes in the family kitchen, writes Frank Camorra.
By Frank Camorra
Rice came to Spain with the Arabs, who also brought the irrigation methods to grow it. Since then it seems Spain's many rice dishes have been forgotten - most people think of the festival dish paella as the most popular way to eat rice in Spain.
Paella may be famous but is not generally cooked in the family kitchen. Rather it is cooked out in the open or ordered at a restaurant. Spanish homes are not large as a rule and domestic kitchens don't have the burner size to attempt a proper paella. Instead they cook slightly soupier dishes called arroz.
Barberry and pistachio rice salad.Credit: Marcel Aucar
A fantastic version of Spanish comfort food, this chicken and rice recipe is very simple. When my mother used to make it she had the timing of cooking the rice down to a fine art. When she added the rice, there would be a call out the window, "dinner in 20 minutes!" and if we were late, don't ask ...
Chicken and saffron rice
Simple and delicious: Chicken and saffron rice.Credit: Marcel Aucar
1.6 kg chicken, cut into 12 pieces
Fine sea salt and black pepper
80 ml olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 red capsicum, seeded and finely diced
1 green capsicum, seeded and finely diced
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1.5 litres hot chicken stock
300g calasparra rice
Pinch of saffron threads
½ teaspoon Spanish sweet paprika
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
Thoroughly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the chicken pieces, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes each side or until browned. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a plate or in a bowl. Add the onion and capsicum and sauté for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened. Add the tomato, stir through and cook for 15 minutes, or until pulpy, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken to the pot and pour in the hot stock. Increase the heat to high, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the stock has reduced by about a third. Add the rice and stir through. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, crush the saffron threads with the paprika, thyme, peppercorns and garlic using a mortar and pestle until the peppercorns are well crushed. Add a few tablespoons of hot stock from the pot and mix well. Add the spice mix to the rice and stir through. Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is just tender and the chicken well cooked. Season to taste with salt. Remove from the heat, add parsley and serve immediately.
Serves 4-6 (pictured)
Barberry and pistachio rice salad
1 good pinch of saffron threads
80 g unsalted butter
½ cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods, cracked
3 whole black peppercorns
200 g basmati rice, washed and soaked in salt water for 3 hours
2 tablespoons pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons barberries
200 g Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
salt and pepper
Infuse the saffron in 4 tablespoons of boiling water. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium to low heat. Add the cinnamon, cardamom pods and peppercorns and gently fry until their aromas start to be released, about 4 minutes. Drain the rice well, add it to the butter, and stir to coat for a minute. Turn up the heat to medium-high and stir in the pistachios and barberries. Pour enough water over the rice to cover it by about 1 centimetre, and season with salt. Rest some greaseproof paper on the surface of the water to cover it, then place a lid on the pan. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Lift the lid on the rice, remove the paper and drizzle the saffron water evenly over the rice. Replace the paper and lid. Turn the heat down to low and cook for another 4-5 minutes. While the rice is cooking, put the yoghurt in a serving bowl, add the garlic and allspice and season well. When rice is ready, fluff with a fork and serve with the yoghurt on the side.
Serves 4
TIP
For the chicken and saffron recipe, I have used Spanish calasparra rice but arborio will work as well.