Valencia Rice Recipes

VALENCIAN RICE (ARROZ A LA VALENCIANA)

Steps:

• 1) Place the whole chicken in a pot. Pour enough water into the pot to barely cover the chicken. Add a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and a pinch of poultry seasoning (optional).
• 2) Bring water to a boil, cover and cook at medium/low heat for about one hour. Turn the chicken over about half way through to insure even cooking. Keep an eye on it so that it will not dry out and burn. However, the level of the water at the end should be fairly low, so don't add a lot of water through the cooking process. The tighter your lid fits on the pot, the less water you will need to replace. Remove from heat and allow to cool until it can be handled comfortably.
• 3) Debone the chicken setting all the bones and skin aside in a bowl. Do not discard the broth from the chicken.
• 4) In a very large frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the diced tomatoes, bell pepper strips, chopped onions (both) and 1 teaspoon of salt. When white onions look transparent, add the tomato paste, capers and olives and stir. Add the sausage slices, shrimp, oysters, the de-boned chicken meat and whatever broth you had left. Now is also the time to add the wine or beer if you are using any.
• 5) Continue to stir over medium/low heat until the mixture becomes almost dry (broth has evaporated and been absorbed). Now add the cooked rice a little at a time while stirring. Finally, add the early peas and stir gently to blend them inches.
• 6) Serve hot accompanied by a large glass of Spanish Sangría poured over some ice, an orange wedge and a wedge of pineapple.

AUTHENTIC PAELLA VALENCIANA

Steps:

• Heat a paella pan over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil. Add the chicken, rabbit and garlic; cook and stir until nicely browned. Move the browned meat to the sides of the pan, and add the tomato, butter beans, peas, and green beans. Season with paprika, and mix well.
• Fill the paella pan almost to the top with water, measuring the water as you put it in. This is to help you to determine how much rice to add, as paella pans come in different sizes. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 1 hour to make a nice broth.
• Season with a generous amount of salt, and just enough saffron to make a nice yellow color. Season with thyme and rosemary if desired. The goal is to make a rich tasting broth that will soak into the rice to make it delicious. Stir in half as much rice as the amount of water in the pan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

ARROZ VALENCIANA

Steps:

• Dissolve the bouillon cube in 2 cups of hot water in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.
• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. dd the onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions start to become translucent, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until the chicken is opaque but not cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and turmeric and stir until the turmeric is evenly distributed. Add the sausage, raisins, coconut milk and bouillon broth and stir for 1 minute. Cover and cook on medium-low heat until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 35 minutes.
• Add the red and green bell peppers, carrots and peas and gently stir. Continue to cook the rice covered until the vegetables are slightly softened and there is no more liquid, about 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the hard-boiled eggs and scallions.