My Baked meaty rice | Arroz al horno (de leña)

This rice dish is arguably the most eaten paella in the households of Valencia, where the dish originates, even more so than Paella Valenciana. Made with the leftovers from the “cocido” stew, it contains a lot of different meats and chickpeas, but really it is the broth that results from the simmer of all those ingredients what gives this dish it’s distinctive flavour which is finished in the oven.

INGREDIENTS:

• Leftover from the “cocido”

  ·      100g smoked pancetta

  ·      100g boneless chicken drumsticks

  ·      70g chorizo, thick slices

  ·      50g black pudding, thick slices

  ·      100g beef shin, roughly chopped

  ·      100g chickpeas

  ·      30g Serrano ham

  ·      1 bone with marrow

  . 1.4 litres of stock

• 200g potatoes, large chunks

• 0.4g saffron

• 2 tomatoes, halved

• 1 tomato, grated

• 1 head of garlic, cut widthways

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• Salt to season

• 120ml olive oil

• 400g Spanish rice

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat your oven at 200 degrees

2. Put a large clay pot (if you have one) over high heat, pour the olive oil and brown the head of garlic and the halved tomatoes for 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and brown them for a further 4 minutes.

3. Add the pimenton and grated tomatoes, cook for about 2 minutes until the oil starts separating from the tomato paste. Add the crumbled saffron followed by the “cocido stew” stock and  brink it to the boil. Season with salt and pepper, add the rice and stir to distribute it evenly over the pan.

4. Cook on a high heat for the first 5 minutes and then place inside the preheated oven for the remaining 15 minutes until it’s ready. Buen provecho!