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

Potty for Potaje ?

There are many Spanish dishes that I’ve fallen in love with since living in Spain, and Spanish potaje is one of my favourites.

Potage has its origins in the medieval cuisine of Northern France (from Old French pottage; "potted dish") European cottage gardens often contained a variety of crops grown together. These were called potage gardens by the French, as the harvest from that garden was used to make potage.

Potaje refers to the base of the stew which usually is always made with water, onion, garlic and garbanzos (chickpeas).  Often this dish is called “potaje de garbanzos” or even “potaje de vigilia” (meaning potaje of abstinence or vigil) as it is typically made without meat and during lent to be eaten on Fridays – a time when the Catholics do not eat meat. The Spanish potaje is varied, depending on the region, so there are different versions of this soup all over Spain. Chorizo,(paprika pork sausage),Morcilla (black pudding), lentils and Bacalao (salted cod) are all typical ingredients used in it.
It’s a hardy, healthy dish that is especially perfect for the cold days of winter (and apparently the cold, early days of Spring as well!). Even better, like most all stews, it keeps well and tastes more delicious with each day!

 Potaje de garbanzos y Espinacas
Chickpea and Spinach soup

Ingredients
250 grams of dried chickpeas
1 onion, spiked with 1 bay leaf and 2 cloves.
2 carrots, peeled.
500 grams of baby spinach.
1 onion, finely chopped.
2 tablespoons of olive oil.
1 teaspoon mild paprika.
2 slices of white bread.
4 eggs. (optional)
Salt and pepper.

Method
Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of water. On the next day add some salt, the spiked onion and the carrots to the soaking water. Pour on enough water to cover all the ingredients. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 40 minutes.

Sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Sprinkle on the paprika add the pre-washed spinach and cook for a short time. Remove the onion and carrots from the chickpeas and take out the cloves and bay leaf. Mash the carrots and onion in a mortar with the white bread.

Combine with the chickpeas and add the spinach mixture. Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the soup between four oven safe dishes. If you fancy the egg version, break an egg into each soup and leave to set in a preheated oven at 200 celsius.

If you are planning a casual gathering, it also works well served in small bowls as a tapas.



Recipe from 'Come dine with me'

Spanish chorizo, chickpea and spinach soup

Chorizo is a pork sausage that has many different varieties and is eaten all over Spain. Most chorizo that you would buy in stores has been cured, but “fresh” chorizo, which is softer is also available. Chorizo is made by chopping or grinding the pork and “marinating” it in spices. Spanish paprika (sweet or spicey) is the spice which is gives chorizo its characteristic flavor and distinguishes it from other sausages.

Chorizo may be sliced and eaten alone or with crusty French-style bread or can be fried. It is very common to use it as an ingredient in other dishes, such as stews and soups.

Serves six
 

Ingredients

Half a ring of chorizo sausage, sliced

1 onion peeled and chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 large bag of washed, baby spinach

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tin of chickpeas

1 litre of chicken stock

1 tablespoon turmeric

extra virgin olive oil

2 hard boiled eggs

salt and pepper

Method

Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a pan and add the sliced chorizo. Fry for 2 mins.

Add the garlic and onion and fry until golden.

Then add the drained chickpeas, tomatoes and chicken stock.

Season with salt, black pepper and turmeric.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 mins.

Mix in the baby spinach and cook for a further 5 mins.

Remove a third of the mixture and blend.

Add the blended soup back into the pan and stir well.

Before serving sprinkle a good helping of chopped, hard boiled egg onto of the soup.