Arroz a Banda con Alioli
Alicante's legendary fisherman's rice: short-grain Senia rice simmered in an intensely concentrated rockfish and seafood stock (morralla), baked to form a savory thin layer, served traditionally with garlic alioli on the side.
Ingredients
- • 350g Spanish short-grain rice (Bomba or Senia)
- • 1 litre rich rockfish and prawn head broth (caldo de morralla)
- • 1 large cuttlefish or squid, cleaned and cut into small dice
- • 1 ripe tomato, grated
- • 2 cloves garlic, minced, and 1 tsp sweet Pimentón de la Vera
- • Pinch of saffron threads, toasted and crushed
- • Homemade alioli (garlic, olive oil, pinch of salt) for serving
Preparation Steps
Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a wide paella pan over medium heat. Sauté the diced cuttlefish for 4-5 minutes until golden. Push to the sides, add minced garlic, sweet pimentón, and grated tomato, frying for 3 minutes until thick and jammy.
Add the dry Bomba rice and saffron to the pan. Stir and fry (nacarar) for 2 minutes until translucent and thoroughly coated in the flavorful sofrito.
Pour in the boiling seafood broth. Cook on high heat for 8 minutes, distributing rice evenly. Lower heat to gentle simmer and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed.
Turn heat up high for the final 2 minutes to listen for the crackle of the golden caramelized socarrat forming on the base. Rest 5 minutes off heat and serve with generous dollops of garlic alioli.