The Amazing World of Rice (19 page)

The more elaborate the paella, the more labor-intensive the preparation. But shelling the shrimp, cleaning the squid, and chopping the vegetables can be done ahead, and the ingredients wrapped in plastic and refrigerated until it is time to cook. Here the rice simmers in a tomato, shrimp, and chicken broth. While the recipe calls for scallops, shrimp, squid, clams, and mussels, simply increase one of the others if any one is unavailable. Wide flat pale green Italian beans, also called romano, are available in the fall and early winter. If necessary, use frozen Italian beans, or substitute fresh green beans.

8 ounces bay scallops, halved if large

8 ounces cleaned small squid, bodies cut into ½-inch rings, tentacles left whole

12 large shrimp, preferably with heads, shells removed, leaving the heads and tails on, and shells reserved

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, bruised with the side of a knife, plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 strips lemon zest, cut into thin slivers

1 teaspoon thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, well drained, juices reserved

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine

¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads

Two ¼-inch-thick slices pancetta or thick slices bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 cup chopped onions

½ cup diced (¼-inch) red bell pepper

½ cup diced (¼-inch) green bell pepper

1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika

2 cups uncooked Bomba, Arborio, or other medium-grain white rice

4 ounces romano (Italian) beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch lengths (about 1 cup; see headnote)

1 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed

12 small clams (preferably Manila), scrubbed and rinsed

12 small mussels, beards pulled off, scrubbed, and rinsed

Thyme sprigs

• 1.
  For the marinade:
  In a large bowl, combine the scallops, squid, shrimp, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the bruised garlic, lemon zest, thyme leaves, a pinch of salt, and a grinding of black pepper. Stir to blend. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 1 to 2 hours.
  
• 2.
  Place the reserved tomato juices in a large measuring cup and add enough water to measure 2 cups. Combine with the chicken broth in a saucepan; heat to a boil.
  
• 3.
  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add the shrimp shells; cook, stirring, over medium heat, until dark red, about 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add the wine; heat to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Add to the simmering chicken broth. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain into another saucepan; discard the shells. Keep the broth warm over low heat.
  
• 4.
  Crumble the saffron into a small skillet or saucepan; heat gently over low heat, about 20 seconds. Add about ½ cup hot broth to the skillet; let stand, covered, off the heat, until ready to use.
  
• 5.
  Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large paella pan or large shallow skillet with an ovenproof handle. Add the pancetta; cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
  
• 6.
  Add the onions and bell peppers to the pan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon minced garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the paprika; cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes; stir to blend. (Paella can be prepared one or two hours ahead up to this point.)
  
• 7.
  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F.
  
• 8.
  Add the rice to the tomato mixture; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Pour the saffron mixture over the rice. Add the simmering broth; heat to boil. Taste the broth and add salt if needed. Stir once, and spread the rice in an even layer. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the rice is almost tender but still moist with broth, about 15 minutes. Do not stir.
  
• 9.
  Add the marinated seafood, green beans, and lima beans to the rice, pushing them down into the simmering rice in the center portion of the pan. Tuck the clams and mussels around the edges of the pan, with the hinged part of each shell deep in the rice.
  
• 10.
  Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, just until the clams and mussels open, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Let stand until the rice absorbs the seafood juices and softens slightly, 10 minutes.
  
• 11.
  To serve, spoon onto a large platter or serve right from the paella pan. Garnish the paella with thyme sprigs.
  

Paella was made as the midday meal outside over an open fire by field workers with what was on hand, including wild rabbit. This recipe, made with farmed rabbit, is an adaptation. Substitute chicken if rabbit is not available.

Marinade

1 tablespoon chopped lemon zest

1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 rabbit (2¾ pounds), cut into 8 serving pieces 1 pork tenderloin (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces

Braised Artichokes

Juice of 1 lemon 4 large artichokes or 1½ pounds baby artichokes 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 thin sliver onion

1 thyme sprig

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads

2 links chorizo sausage (about 8 ounces), casings removed and cut into ¼-inch slices

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, well drained 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika 2 cups uncooked Bomba, Arborio, or other medium-grain white rice

Kosher salt

4 ounces Italian romano beans or regular green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch lengths (about 1 cup)

1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

Rosemary sprigs

• 1.
  For the marinade:
  Combine the lemon zest, rosemary, garlic, salt, and a generous grinding of black pepper in a small bowl; mash together with a fork. Arrange the rabbit and pork on a platter. Sprinkle with the marinade; rub it into the flesh. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  
• 2.
  For the artichokes:
  Half-fill a large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. If using large artichokes, cut off the stems and reserve. Trim off all the outer leaves from each artichoke (see Note) until only white leaves remain. Cut off the cone
  shaped white leaves. With the tip of a knife or a spoon, scoop out the fuzzy choke. Trim the outside from the artichoke bottom. Quarter the artichoke bottom and place it in the lemon water. Trim the green from the outside of the stems; cut into ½-inch lengths. Place in the lemon water. If using baby artichokes, trim the ends of the stems. Remove the outside dark green leaves from each artichoke until the cone of white leaves is exposed. Trim the dark green from the artichoke bottoms. Halve or quarter the artichokes. Place in the lemon water.
  
• 3.
  Drain the artichokes; discard the lemon. Heat the olive oil and minced garlic in a large deep skillet or wide shallow saucepan over medium-low heat just until sizzling. Add the artichoke hearts (and stems) and cook, stirring, until coated with oil, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water, the onion, the thyme sprig, bay leaf, and salt; heat to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until the artichokes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; reserve the liquid. Discard the bay leaf; taste and correct the seasoning. (The artichokes can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate the artichokes and liquid separately, covered, until ready to use.)
  
• 4.
  Heat the ¼-cup olive oil in a paella pan or a large (12 inches or more) deep skillet with an ovenproof handle. Add the rabbit pieces; cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a side dish. Repeat with the pork, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a steady sizzle without overcooking the pork, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the dish with the rabbit. Set the pan aside.
  
• 5.
  Heat the chicken broth and artichoke liquid to a boil in a medium saucepan; keep hot. Crumble the saffron into a small skillet or saucepan and heat gently over low heat for about 20 seconds. Add about ½ cup hot broth to the skillet; let stand, covered, off the heat, until ready to use.
  
• 6.
  Add the chorizo to the pan you used for the rabbit; cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the red bell pepper, scallions, and minced garlic; cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes; cook for 2 minutes. Add the paprika; stir to blend. (Paella can be prepared one or two hours ahead up to this point.)
  
• 7.
  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F.
  
• 8.
  Add the rice to the tomato mixture, stirring until coated and heated through, about 3 minutes. Spread the rice in a flat layer. Pour the saffron liquid over the top. Add 4 cups of the hot broth; taste and add salt if needed. Stir once, making sure that the rice is covered with broth. Cook, uncovered, without stirring, over medium heat until most of the broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  
• 9.
  Tuck the rabbit pieces around the edges of the pan. Place the pork, artichoke hearts, green beans, and peas in the center, pressing them down into the rice. Drizzle with any meat juices left in the dish. Ladle the remaining hot broth over the top.
  
• 10.
  Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
  
• 11.
  To serve, spoon onto a large platter or serve right from the paella pan. (Garnish the edges of the platter with the reserved artichoke leaves, if using.) Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
  

NOTE:
If using large artichokes, reserve some of the outside leaves and braise them along with the artichoke hearts in Step 3. Cover and keep warm to use as a garnish.

R
ice is a staple like eggs, butter, and bread
. It can bind meat loaf, transform a few eggs into a meal, or be the foundation for a hearty stew. And so this chapter is hefty with recipes—a handful are authentic traditional or ethnic dishes, but many more are eclectic, as I cook from my culinary soul, one that is heavily influenced by the places I travel, the food that I eat, and the cooks that I meet.

From New Delhi and Bangkok to Charleston and London, and places in between, the recipes in this chapter all have one thing in common: a cup or two, or maybe three, of rice.

I adapted this recipe for
Arròs amb Crosta
(Rice with Egg Crust) from Colman Andrews's book
Catalan Cuisine
when I wanted a simple dish to prepare in the evening after work. Serve this homey scaled down version of the original recipe from the cast-iron skillet in which it is baked. A salad of leafy greens completes the meal.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

1 pound plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup uncooked Arborio or other medium-grain white rice

2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

Kosher salt

1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed, optional

5 large eggs

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Freshly ground black pepper

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  
• 2.
  Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven (or other stovetop-to-oven pot) over medium heat. Add the onion; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley, and garlic: heat over high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the tomatoes are softened and most of the liquid has evaporated about 10 minutes.
  
• 3.
  Stir the rice into the tomatoes until coated. Add the broth; heat to a boil. Taste the broth and add salt if necessary. Stir the rice well. Cover tightly with foil or a lid. Bake until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Uncover the pan. Leave the oven on.
  
• 4.
  Spread the peas, if using, on the top of the rice. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a large bowl until blended; add black pepper. Pour evenly over the rice. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the eggs are set and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before serving directly from the pan.
  

Serve this frittata plain, with a sauce of chopped raw tomato seasoned with a little olive oil and basil, or topped with the Sautéed Tomatoes with Red Onions. Round out the menu with a loaf of crusty bread and some tangy brine-cured black olives.

½ cup packed Italian parsley sprigs

1 scallion, trimmed and cut into ½-inch lengths

1 garlic clove, chopped

8 large eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1½ cups cooked long-or medium-grain white rice

1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

6 thin slices provolone (about 3 ounces)

Sautéed Tomatoes with Red Onions (recipe follows), optional

• 1.
  Finely chop the parsley, scallion, and garlic together with a large knife or in the food processor; set aside. Whisk the eggs, Parmesan, and a grinding of black pepper in a large bowl; set aside.
  
• 2.
  Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Add the rice and the parsley mixture; cook, stirring, until blended and hot, about 1 minute. Pour the egg mixture over the rice; sprinkle with the mozzarella. Cook over low heat, without stirring, just until the eggs begin to set, about 2 minutes. With a spatula, lift the edges of the frittata and tilt the pan so that the runny center flows to the edges. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the eggs are set around the edges and almost set in the center, about 12 minutes.
  
• 3.
  Preheat the broiler, if using it to finish the frittata. Arrange the provolone slices on top of the frittata. If using the broiler, place the skillet about 3 inches from the heat and broil until the cheese is browned and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Or, cover the frittata and cook over very low heat until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
  
• 4.
  Carefully loosen the sides and bottom of the frittata with a rubber spatula; slide onto a serving dish. Cut into wedges. Serve with the sautéed tomatoes, if desired.
  

Sautéed Tomatoes with Red Onions

Serve with the frittata or simply over a bowl of hot freshly cooked rice.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ medium red onion, cut into ¼-inch wedges

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 pound plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch wedges

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Torn basil leaves

• 1.
  Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute.
  
• 2.
  Add the tomatoes; stir to blend. Cover and cook over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add basil to taste. Serve hot.