Rice Culture in Valencia - More Than Just Paella

After paella, Arroz al Horno is probably the most iconic dish on the table in the Valencia Community. This dish is traditionally baked in a ceramic dish and includes pork ribs, panncetta, morcilla sausage (black pudding), garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas).

The region of Valencia is known for its many rice dishes, like paella, but there are so many other mouth-watering rice dishes to enjoy, (see below) . In English Arroz al Horno is called Oven-Baked Rice.

This traditional dish is so popular that Xàtiva, a coastal city in Valencia, holds a festival in honor of Arroz al Horno.

Traditionally, this dish is prepared in a clay or ceramic dish. So, you’ll need a ceramic, enamel or stainless steel casserole dish that can be used on a stove-top and in the oven.

Valencian Arroz al Horno (Oven-baked Rice)

Serves 4

Ingredients
lb. lean pork spare ribs

1/2 lb. morcilla, blood sausage ( or bury black pudding)

1 whole head of garlic

1 cup diced panncetta

2 medium tomatoes

1 1/2 cups of paella rice

4 cups beef stock

2 medium potatoes - sliced

4 oz. cooked chickpeas

olive oil

salt

Method

Cut the morcilla sausage into thick slices or if small leave whole. Cut tomatoes into slices approximately 1/3 inch thick. Peel potatoes and slice.

Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into the casserole dish and heat. When hot enough, fry the pork ribs and pancetta until golden brown. Add the potatoes and the rice into the dish, then add the stock and season.

Sprinkle the chickpeas around the dish. Simmer for 10 minutes 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Before placeing the casserole dish in the pre-heated oven, arrange the sliced tomatoes and black pudding on top and place the whole head of garlic in the centre.of the dish.

Cover and bake in the oven until the rice is cooked and golden brown.

ARROZ AL HORNO

Below are just a few other Spanish rice-based dishes:-

Arroz a banda
Arroz a la cerveza
Arroz a la criolla
Arroz a la franciascana
Arroz a la húngara
Arroz a la Jardinera
Arroz a la mantequilla
Arroz a la mexicana
Arroz a la milanesa
Arroz a la morrón
Arroz a la oriental
Arroz a la persa o arroz dulce
Arroz a la poblana
Arroz a la puertorriqueña
Arroz a la Saz
Arroz acuario
Arroz al coñac
Arroz al curry
Arroz al estilo libanés
Arroz al horno
Arroz al Guadalquivir
Arroz al vino
Arroz blanco con frutas secas
Arroz blanco
Arroz Bombay
Arroz brut
Arroz caldoso de puchero
Arroz campanero
Arroz cantonés a la vietnamita
Arroz color
Arroz con acelgas y sepias
Arroz con aguacate
Arroz con alcachofas
Arroz con almejas
Arroz con ancas de rana y cangrejos
Arroz con atún
Arroz con atún y apio
Arroz con bacalao
Arroz con bacon
Arroz con bogavante
Arroz con camarones
Arroz con castañas
Arroz con Cerdo
Arroz con cerveza
Arroz con coca cola
Arroz con coco
Arroz con col
Arroz con coles de Bruselas
Arroz con coliflor
Arroz con "Consomme Beef"
Arroz con costillas de cerdo
Arroz con chocos
Arroz con espárragos
Arroz con frutos secos
Arroz con hígados de pollo
Arroz con huevos escalfados
Arroz con Lentejas de Año Nuevo
Arroz con Mariscos
Arroz con Mejillones
Arroz con mejillones y puerros
Arroz con palmito
Arroz con patatas y bacalao al horno
Arroz con Pato
Arroz con pimientos fritos
Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con Pollo Almendrado
Arroz con Pollo "al estilo Panameño"
Arroz con salmón al cava
Arroz con sardinas
Arroz con sobrasada y botifarrón
Arroz con verduras
Arroz con vino
Arroz Congrí
Arroz Costa Brava
Arroz cremoso con azafrán al manchego semicurado
Arroz cremoso
Arroz Chaufa
Arroz Chaufa de Mariscos
Arroz Chaufa especial
Arroz chaufa tres sabores
Arroz chino
Arroz de conejo con mejillones estilo Ornosa
Arroz de Pascua Rusa
Arroz de verduras
Arroz español
Arroz especial
Arroz frito
Arroz Frito Tres Delicias
Arroz Genovés
Arroz Graneado
Arroz huertano o de verduras con bacalao
Arroz Imperial
Arroz rojo integral
Arroz integral con alcachofas
Arroz Ligur
Arroz marinera
Arroz marinero
Arroz Montemar
Arroz negro con sepia
Arroz negro cremoso con sepias
Arroz negro cremoso de setas
Arroz pilaf
Arroz pilaw
Arroz pilaw
Arroz rápido
Arroz salteado con coca- cola
Arroz sazonado con lentejas
Arros pobler Arroz sorpresa
Arroz sushi
Arroz Tapado
Arroz tres delicias
Arroz vapor
Arroz verde .............PHEW!!!! thats a lot of rice dishes

The following link by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall includes a few more great Spanish recipes

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/02/spanish-recipes-squid-pork-almonds