Arroz Caldoso, which translates to 'brothy rice', is a Spanish dish comprised of three main components, a savoury broth, rice and the extra ingredients, generally seafood and vegetables. The recipe for this dish can vary considerably, depending on the region of the Iberian Peninsula in which it is prepared. Here, Julie Le Clerc's broth is layered with the wonderful flavours of El Navarrico fish fumet, saffron and paprika. Julie incorporates prawns, artichoke hearts, capers and olives into the dish too, which all complement the deep savoury Spanish flavours in the broth.
Serves 4
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp La Chinata Paella seasoning or 2 tsp La Chinata sweet smoked paprika
Big pinch Kiam saffron tips
2 bay leaves
150ml white wine
1¼ cups El Socarrat paella rice or Calasparra rice
480ml bottle El Navarrico fish fumet
2 cups cold water
Sal de Añana Spring salt
Freshly ground black pepper
300g large raw prawn cutlets, deveined
1 cup Bioitalia grilled artichokes
½ cup Losada whole manzanilla olives
2 Tbsp Pons capers in brine, drained
3 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves
Heat the EVO in a large, wide pan, add garlic and gently sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the paella seasoning (or smoked paprika), saffron and bay leaves and pour in the wine. Turn up the heat and simmer hard for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.
Stir in the rice, fish fumet and water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pan and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly so the rice doesn’t stick to the pan. Check that the mixture doesn’t dry out and remains soupy; add a little more water, if necessary.
After 15 minutes, add the prawns, artichokes and olives, cover pan and cook gently for 5 minutes. The rice should now be just cooked. Remove pan from the heat and rest for 5 minutes, covered, before serving. Check and adjust seasoning, as needed.
Serve in bowls arranging the prawns and vegetables on top of the rice. Garnish with capers and parsley.
Recipe from Julie Le Clerc
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