Portugal | Euricom

Arroz De Pato

Ingredients:

2kg duck

1 chorizo

250g fresh bacon

300g carolino rice

1 small carrot in slices

1 onion

mint

parsley

3 garlic clove

salt & pepper

Recipe:

Cook the duck with the bacon and the chorizo in salted water. Add onion, clove grains, carrot, pepper and parsley and cook over low heat.

When it is cold, filter the broth, remove the fat and reserve it. Then boil the broth and check the salt.

Fry the rice in the duck fat, add the broth (three times the amount of rice) and the mint. Take it off 2 minutes later. Cook for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let stand.

In a baking dish, place half of the rice and duck on top of it, then put the remaining rice and cover it all. Garnish with chorizo, bacon and carrots. Cook in the oven until the top is golden.

Ingredients:

Third of a jar dried porcini mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

25g butter

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

350g Arborio Rice

125ml white wine (optional)

1.3 litres hot vegetable stock

250g mushrooms, sliced

200g frozen peas

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Recipe:

Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour over 100ml hot water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and chop.

Cook the onion in 1 tbsp oil and half the butter, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the soaked mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

Add the rice and stir over a low heat for 1 minute, then add the white wine, if using, and simmer until it has almost evaporated.

Add the reserved mushroom liquid and the hot stock, a ladleful at a time and stir. Make sure the hot stock has been almost absorbed before you add the next ladleful. Stir frequently and continue cooking for 12 minutes.

While the risotto is cooking, heat the rest of the oil and butter in a frying pan and cook the sliced fresh mushrooms until they shrink. Add to the risotto with the pan juices and the peas and continue cooking, adding the stock, a ladleful at a time until the rice is tender and creamy.

Stir in half of the chopped parsley. Serve the rest sprinkled on top.

A native short grain variety that’s similar to the Italian Arborio. This rice stays firm and tender when cooked and absorbs flavours well. Ideal for stews & tomato based fish dishes typical of Portuguese cuisine.

Arroz De Pato

2kg duck

1 chorizo

250g fresh bacon

300g carolino rice

1 small carrot in slices

1 onion

mint

parsley

3 garlic clove

salt & pepper

Cook the duck with the bacon and the chorizo in salted water. Add onion, clove grains, carrot, pepper and parsley and cook over low heat.

When it is cold, filter the broth, remove the fat and reserve it. Then boil the broth and check the salt.

Fry the rice in the duck fat, add the broth (three times the amount of rice) and the mint. Take it off 2 minutes later. Cook for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let stand.

In a baking dish, place half of the rice and duck on top of it, then put the remaining rice and cover it all. Garnish with chorizo, bacon and carrots. Cook in the oven until the top is golden.

This area is particularly known for the gourmet red and black rice variety that not only has an amazing colour, but also a wonderful nutty flavour and firm texture. Camargue rice has exceptional nutritional value, which is rich in complex carbohydrates and qualitative proteins, low in lipids and of low glycemic index. Free from allergens and GMOs, it contains minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and fibres essential for the body's balance.

Rice salad with Feta Cheese

Ingredients:

275 ml Camargue red rice

200 g Feta cheese

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

50 g fresh rocket leaves, finely shredded

3 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped, including the green ends

salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the dressing

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1 level teaspoon grain mustard

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly milled black pepper

Recipe:

First put the rice in the frying pan with a level teaspoon of salt, then pour in 1 pint (570 ml) boiling water, bring it back up to simmering point, then put a lid on and let it cook very gently for 40 minutes.

After that, don't remove the lid, just turn the heat off and leave it for another 15 minutes to finish off. You can watch how to make perfect rice in our Cookery School Video. Meanwhile, make the dressing by crushing the garlic and half a level teaspoon of salt in a pestle and mortar, then, when it becomes a purée, add the mustard and work that in, followed by the vinegar and some freshly milled black pepper. Now add the oil and, using a small whisk, whisk everything thoroughly to combine it. You can also watch how to make vinaigrette in our Cookery School Video.

Then transfer the warm rice to a serving dish, pour the dressing over and mix thoroughly. Taste to check the seasoning and leave aside until cold. Then add the shallots, the rocket and the spring onions. Finally, just before serving, crumble the Feta cheese all over.

Greek Spinach Rice

1 large onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

3 scallions trimmed and

1 medium fennel bulb trimmed and chopped

1 cup carolina rice

1 ½ pounds fresh spinach stems remove, coarsely chopped

½ bunch fresh dill snipped or chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Extra virgin Greek olive oil as needed about 2/3 cup

1 – 2 fresh lemons

Feta cheese or Greek yogurt for serving

Heat ½ cup of olive oil in wide pot. Saute onions, scallions, and fennel until soft, about 10 minutes, over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic. Add the rice. Stir to coat with the oil. Add spinach in batches and stir to cook down, until all of it has been added.

Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups water or vegetable stock. Cook over low heat, covered, until rice is very tender, about 45 minutes. Add more water or stock if necessary.

Add dill five minutes before end and stir gently to wilt.

Stir remaining olive oil, lemon juice, additional salt and pepper to taste just after removing from heat. Serve with Greek feta or Greek yogurt.

Porcini Mushroom & Pea Risotto

Ingredients:

Third of a jar dried porcini mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

25g butter

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

350g Arborio Rice

125ml white wine (optional)

1.3 litres hot vegetable stock

250g mushrooms, sliced

200g frozen peas

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Recipe:

Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour over 100ml hot water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and chop.

Cook the onion in 1 tbsp oil and half the butter, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the soaked mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

Add the rice and stir over a low heat for 1 minute, then add the white wine, if using, and simmer until it has almost evaporated.

Add the reserved mushroom liquid and the hot stock, a ladleful at a time and stir. Make sure the hot stock has been almost absorbed before you add the next ladleful. Stir frequently and continue cooking for 12 minutes.

While the risotto is cooking, heat the rest of the oil and butter in a frying pan and cook the sliced fresh mushrooms until they shrink. Add to the risotto with the pan juices and the peas and continue cooking, adding the stock, a ladleful at a time until the rice is tender and creamy.

Stir in half of the chopped parsley. Serve the rest sprinkled on top.

This area is particularly known for the gourmet red and black rice variety that not only has an amazing colour, but also a wonderful nutty flavour and firm texture. Camargue rice has exceptional nutritional value, which is rich in complex carbohydrates and qualitative proteins, low in lipids and of low glycemic index. Free from allergens and GMOs, it contains minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and fibres essential for the body's balance.

Rice salad with Feta Cheese

275 ml Camargue red rice

200 g Feta cheese

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

50 g fresh rocket leaves, finely shredded

3 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped, including the green ends

salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the dressing

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1 level teaspoon grain mustard

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly milled black pepper

Recipe:

First put the rice in the frying pan with a level teaspoon of salt, then pour in 1 pint (570 ml) boiling water, bring it back up to simmering point, then put a lid on and let it cook very gently for 40 minutes.

After that, don't remove the lid, just turn the heat off and leave it for another 15 minutes to finish off. You can watch how to make perfect rice in our Cookery School Video. Meanwhile, make the dressing by crushing the garlic and half a level teaspoon of salt in a pestle and mortar, then, when it becomes a purée, add the mustard and work that in, followed by the vinegar and some freshly milled black pepper. Now add the oil and, using a small whisk, whisk everything thoroughly to combine it. You can also watch how to make vinaigrette in our Cookery School Video.

Then transfer the warm rice to a serving dish, pour the dressing over and mix thoroughly. Taste to check the seasoning and leave aside until cold. Then add the shallots, the rocket and the spring onions. Finally, just before serving, crumble the Feta cheese all over.

Paella is a Spanish rice dish originally from Valencia. It is one of the best-known dishes in Spanish cuisine. It is a rice dish that can have meat, fish, seafood, and vegetables and is characterized by its use of saffron to give it a yellow color and unique flavor.

Seafood Paella

Ingredients:

large pinch saffron strands

1 vegetable or chicken stock cube, made up to 600ml

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

125g chorizo, roughly chopped

500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (or a mix), chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

2 tsp paprika

250g of either Bomba, Calasparra, Albufera, Senia or Bahia rice

4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped

75g frozen peas

250g cooked prawns with shells on (thawed if frozen) and rinsed

small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to serve

chopped lemon wedges, to serve

Recipe:

Stir the saffron strands into the stock and set aside to infuse while you prepare the rest of the paella.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a paella pan or a large deep frying pan with a lid. Tip in the chorizo and fry for about 3 mins until crisp and the oil has been released. Remove the chorizo and drain on kitchen paper, leaving the oil in the pan.

Stir the chicken into the pan and fry over a high heat for 7-8 mins, or until the meat is golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Pour another 1 tbsp of oil into the pan, tip in the chopped onion and garlic and stir-fry for 4-5 mins, until softened and just starting to colour. Stir in the pepper and paprika with the remaining tablespoon of oil and stir-fry for a further 1-2 mins. The pan should have lots of crispy, brown bits on the bottom, which will all add flavour.

With the heat still quite high, quickly stir in the rice so it is well-coated in the oil, then pour in the saffron-infused stock plus 450ml boiling water, scraping up the sticky brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, then add the chopped tomatoes. Cover the pan and cook on a medium heat for 10 mins, stirring once or twice. Scatter the peas, prawns and fried chorizo over the top, cover again and leave to cook a further 5-10 mins, or until the rice is just cooked and most of the liquid in the pan has been absorbed.

Remove the pan from the heat, put the lid on and leave to rest for 5 mins. Stir a few times to mix the ingredients, season to taste and scatter over the chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and an extra drizzle of oil, if you like.

Carolina rice is the best-known cultivar in Greece. It is a medium-grained rice which, after being harvested is processed and whitened in order to acquire its distinctive white colour.

Carolina Rice Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups carolina rice (uncooked)

Greek extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped (just over 1 cup chopped onions)

1 garlic clove, minced

½ cup orzo pasta

2 lemons, juice of (PLUS zest of 1 lemon)

2 cups low sodium broth (chicken or vegetable broth will work)

Pinch salt

Large handful chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp dill weed (dry dill)

Recipe:

Wash rice well and then soak it for about 15 to 20 minutes in plenty of cold water (enough to cover the rice by 1 inch). You should be able to easily break a grain of rice by simply placing it between your thumb and index finger. Drain well.

Heat about 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large sauce pan with a lid (like this one) until oil is shimmering but not smoking. Add onions and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and orzo pasta. Toss around for a bit until the orzo has gained some color then stir in the rice. Toss to coat.

Now add lemon juice and broth. Bring liquid to a rolling boil (it should reduce a little), then turn heat to low. Cover and let cook for about 20 minutes or until rice is done (liquid should be fully absorbed and rice should be tender but not sticky.)

Remove rice from heat. For best results, leave it covered and do not disturb rice for about 10 minutes or so.

Uncover and stir in parsley, dill weed and lemon zest. If you like, add a few slices of lemon on top for garnish.

Red Rice with Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup of arroz da terra rice 4 cups water salt to taste 2 cups whole milk, hot 2 Tbsp. whipping cream Italian parsley, finely minced, to taste 1 sprig Italian parsley, to decorate

Recipe:

In a large saucepan add the rice and water. Salt the water to taste. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring regularly to avoid sticking. When the water is almost totally absorbed, add the milk and cream and continue to cook, stirring more frequently, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Remove from heat. Mound the rice in a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with the minced parsley and add the sprig to decorate the dish. Serve immediately.

Nutritious and beneficial, red rice helps in reducing the level of cholesterol. Although highly nutritious and beneficial to health, red rice is still little known. The grain was brought to Brazil by the Portuguese, planted in Maranhão and settled in Paraíba, where it is part of the local cuisine.

Red Rice with Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup of arroz da terra rice 4 cups water salt to taste 2 cups whole milk, hot 2 Tbsp. whipping cream Italian parsley, finely minced, to taste 1 sprig Italian parsley, to decorate

Recipe:

In a large saucepan add the rice and water. Salt the water to taste. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring regularly to avoid sticking. When the water is almost totally absorbed, add the milk and cream and continue to cook, stirring more frequently, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Remove from heat. Mound the rice in a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with the minced parsley and add the sprig to decorate the dish. Serve immediately.

Loto Rice Risotto

Ingredients:

1 Cup Loto Rice

1 Shallot, minced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/4 Cup White Wine

3 Cups Vegetable Or Chicken Broth

1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Tbsp Butter

Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Recipe:

Place a medium sauce pan over medium heat and add the rice, shallots and oil. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes until the shallots are translucent and the rice grains are lightly browning.

Add the wine and stir, until the pan is almost dry. Add the broth 1 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this with remaining broth then add the cream. Cook the rice until it is creamy and thick, remove from the heat and stir in cheese and butter. Season as desired and serve immediately.

The most popular type of rice used in dry Spanish rice dishes like paella or arroz al caldero. This variety of rice has a lower starch content which means each grain stays intact and doesn’t fall apart, which is how paella maintains such a unique texture! Grown mainly in Valencia and Delta del Ebro, Bomba can also be used in soups.

Bomba Rice with Clams and Girolles

Ingredients:

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

300g bomba rice

500g fresh clams

500g fresh girolles, cleaned

800ml of fresh chicken stock

2 tbsp of freshly chopped flat leaf parsley

Salt to taste

Recipe:

In a medium size paella pan (34cm diameter) or a large shallow casserole dish, heat two tablespoons of oil and gently fry the girolle mushrooms for about 3 minutes, gently tossing them until they lightly coloured, drain and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and make sure any mushroom juices have evaporated before you add some more oil to the pan. Heat the oil gently and add the sliced garlic and fry for a few minutes on a low heat until lightly brown. Add the bomba rice and stir for a few minutes until the rice becomes slightly translucent.

Pour in the hot chicken, season with salt and spread the rice out evenly to cover the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil. If you have a timer, set it for 20 minutes. The first 5 minutes, cook the rice on a moderate heat until the rice grains begin to rise to the surface of the liquid. Check the stock for seasoning and add some more salt if necessary. Stir the rice again, lower the heat and cook on a simmer for 15 minutes. Add the fresh clams and cooked girolle mushrooms on the last 5 minutes of cooking. The clams will begin to open up and will flavour the rice. Finally, add the freshly chopped parsley and stir through the rice.

Turn the heat off, cover the pan with a kitchen towel and allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Make sure all the clams are open before serving the rice, any that are closed, make sure you discard them.

Bomba Rice with Clams and Girolles

Ingredients:

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

300g bomba rice

500g fresh clams

500g fresh girolles, cleaned

800ml of fresh chicken stock

2 tbsp of freshly chopped flat leaf parsley

Salt to taste

Recipe:

In a medium size paella pan (34cm diameter) or a large shallow casserole dish, heat two tablespoons of oil and gently fry the girolle mushrooms for about 3 minutes, gently tossing them until they lightly coloured, drain and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and make sure any mushroom juices have evaporated before you add some more oil to the pan. Heat the oil gently and add the sliced garlic and fry for a few minutes on a low heat until lightly brown. Add the bomba rice and stir for a few minutes until the rice becomes slightly translucent.

Pour in the hot chicken, season with salt and spread the rice out evenly to cover the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil. If you have a timer, set it for 20 minutes. The first 5 minutes, cook the rice on a moderate heat until the rice grains begin to rise to the surface of the liquid. Check the stock for seasoning and add some more salt if necessary. Stir the rice again, lower the heat and cook on a simmer for 15 minutes. Add the fresh clams and cooked girolle mushrooms on the last 5 minutes of cooking. The clams will begin to open up and will flavour the rice. Finally, add the freshly chopped parsley and stir through the rice.

Turn the heat off, cover the pan with a kitchen towel and allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Make sure all the clams are open before serving the rice, any that are closed, make sure you discard them.

Arancini Balls

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

15g unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, crushed

350g Vialone nano rice

150ml dry white wine

1.2l hot chicken or veg stock

150g parmesan, finely grated

150g ball mozzarella, chopped into 18 small pieces

1 lemon, finely zested

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Recipe:

Heat the oil and butter in a saucepanuntil foamy. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and fry gently over a low heat for 15 mins, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another min. Stir in the rice and cook for a further min, then pour in the wine. Bring to the boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in half the stock and simmer, stirring continuously, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the remaining stock a ladleful at a time as the rice absorbs the liquid, stirring, until the rice is cooked through (this should take about 20-25 mins). Stir in the parmesan and lemon and season to taste. Spread the risotto out into a lipped tray and leave to cool to room temperature.

Scoop the cooled risotto into 18 equal portions – they should be slightly larger than a golf ball. Flatten a risotto ball in your hand and put a piece of the mozzarella in the centre, then enclose the cheese in the rice and roll it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining risotto balls.

Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Dip each prepared risotto ball into the flour, followed by the eggs and finally, the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a tray and set aside.

Half-fill a large, heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-low until it reads 170C on a cooking thermometer or until a piece of bread turns golden brown in the oil within 45 seconds. Lower the risotto balls into the oil in batches and cook for 8-10 mins, or until golden brown and melted in the centre. Set aside on a tray lined with a clean kitchen towel.

Eat the arancini warm, or serve with a basic tomato sauce for dipping.

Agulha, often known as Needle Rice is a long grain Indica variety that is commonly used as a side dish in stuffed vegetables or for oven-baked rice dishes.

Stuffed Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

2 large tomatoes

2 small–medium aubergines

1 green courgette

1 yellow courgette

6 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2½ tbsp tomato purée

400g agulha rice, rinsed

250ml oz vegetable stock

large handful flatleaf parsley

large handful fresh mint

1 tsp dried oregano

⅛ tsp chilli flakes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recipe:

Start by preparing the vegetables for stuffing. Cut the tops off the peppers and tomatoes to create lids, set the tops aside. Scoop out the pepper seeds and discard. Scoop out the tomato flesh and seeds and reserve. Cut the aubergines and courgettes lengthways and scoop out the seeds and flesh inside, leaving a boat-shaped shell ready to fill. Add the flesh from the courgettes and aubergines to the tomato flesh and seeds and chop well.

In a large pan over a medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and fry the onion and garlic for 3–5 minutes until soft. Add the chopped vegetable flesh and the tomato purée. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened.

Add the rice and 150ml/5fl oz of the vegetable stock, raise to a simmer and and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the herbs and chilli flakes.

Arrange the vegetable shells on a roasting tin or ovenproof dish and spoon the rice mixture into them. Place the lids on the peppers and tomatoes and drizzle them all with the remaining olive oil.

Pour the remaining stock into the tin, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–30 minutes until the vegetables and rice are cooked. Serve hot, warm or cold.

The Calasparra paella rice takes its name from the Calasparra region where it’s grown, in South East Murcia - which has been awarded a DOP (Protected Denomination of Origin) thanks to its unique rice-growing conditions.

Baked Calasparra Rice with Spicy Sausage

Ingredients:

400 grams spicy lamb sausages, skins removed (I used merguez) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary 500 grams crown or butternut pumpkin, peeled, diced 2cm pieces 1 cup calasparra rice

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Break the sausages into walnut-sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and quickly brown the sausage pieces. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Don’t wash the pan. Add the onion, garlic, paprika and rosemary with a good pinch of salt to the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Stir in the pumpkin and rice, then the parsley, stock and the tomatoes with their juice. Season and bring to the boil. Divide the mixture evenly between 4 shallow baking dishes or individual paella pans and nestle in the sausages.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Mainly grown in the deltas of the rivers Sperchios and Acheloo, Blue Rose is a white medium grain rice that has the perfect consistency for use in stuffed food recipes, such as the traditional Greek Gemista. Perfect for stuffed tomatoes and peppers or dolmadakia.

Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers

6 large firm, ripe tomatoes

6 large green bell peppers

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large onions finely chopped or grated *

5 – 6 scallions finely chopped

1 cup gemista rice

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 small cinnamon stick optional

1/3 cup dark or light seedless raisins

1/3 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

¾ cup water or more if needed

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

¼ cup fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup fresh chopped mint

1/2 cup fresh chopped dill

Recipe:

Wash the vegetables. Take a very sharp knife and slice off the top of each tomato and each pepper. Keep each vegetable and cap together.

With a teaspoon, gently scoop out the pulp of each tomato, being careful not to tear the outer skin. Leave a shell thick enough to hold stuffing (about ½ inch or 1.3 cm.). Remove seeds, chop, pulp, and place, with juices in a large bowl. Carefully remove the tops of the peppers, leaving the stems in tact; remove the peppers’ seeds with a spoon. If desired, using a paring knife, trim away the inner ribs, which can be tough when cooked.

In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and sauté the scallions and onions until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes over medium heat. Stir while cooking. Add the rice and stir frequently for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato pulp, garlic, cinnamon stick, raisins, pine nuts, and water. Reduce heat, cover skillet, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until rice is softened but not cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. (The mixture should be moist.) Remove cinnamon stick; season stuffing with salt and pepper; toss in herbs.

Preheat oven to 350ο F / 176ο C. Stuff the vegetables with rice filling and crown with their own caps. Place in a baking pan. Add a little water to the pan (about ¼ cup), drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the vegetables and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until vegetables are soft and blistery and rice is cooked. Baste with pan juices during baking if necessary. Serve hot or cold.

Baked Calasparra Rice with Spicy Sausage

Ingredients:

400 grams spicy lamb sausages, skins removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

500 grams crown or butternut pumpkin, peeled, diced 2cm pieces

1 cup calasparra rice

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Break the sausages into walnut-sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and quickly brown the sausage pieces. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Don’t wash the pan. Add the onion, garlic, paprika and rosemary with a good pinch of salt to the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Stir in the pumpkin and rice, then the parsley, stock and the tomatoes with their juice. Season and bring to the boil. Divide the mixture evenly between 4 shallow baking dishes or individual paella pans and nestle in the sausages.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Stuffed Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

2 large tomatoes

2 small–medium aubergines

1 green courgette

1 yellow courgette

6 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2½ tbsp tomato purée

400g agulha rice, rinsed

250ml oz vegetable stock

large handful flatleaf parsley

large handful fresh mint

1 tsp dried oregano

⅛ tsp chilli flakes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recipe:

Start by preparing the vegetables for stuffing. Cut the tops off the peppers and tomatoes to create lids, set the tops aside. Scoop out the pepper seeds and discard. Scoop out the tomato flesh and seeds and reserve. Cut the aubergines and courgettes lengthways and scoop out the seeds and flesh inside, leaving a boat-shaped shell ready to fill. Add the flesh from the courgettes and aubergines to the tomato flesh and seeds and chop well.

In a large pan over a medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and fry the onion and garlic for 3–5 minutes until soft. Add the chopped vegetable flesh and the tomato purée. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened.

Add the rice and 150ml/5fl oz of the vegetable stock, raise to a simmer and and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the herbs and chilli flakes.

Arrange the vegetable shells on a roasting tin or ovenproof dish and spoon the rice mixture into them. Place the lids on the peppers and tomatoes and drizzle them all with the remaining olive oil.

Pour the remaining stock into the tin, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–30 minutes until the vegetables and rice are cooked. Serve hot, warm or cold.

Paella Valenciana

Ingredients:

600g mixed joints of chicken thighs (off bone and chunked) and duck (off bone and chunked).

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 handfuls of green beans, topped, tailed and halved (or a couple of handfuls of frozen garden peas, defrosted)

2 tbsp smoked paprika

225g passata or canned chopped tomatoes

900ml warm chicken stock (have some more handy in case you need it)

A few strands of saffron

350g albufera rice

12 or so large, raw prawns or shrimp – these are optional, and the original would have used shelled, blanched snails instead (great if you can get those or gather your own)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recipe:

Add the saffron to the stock to infuse it.

Heat the oil in a large, round pan (a 'paella' is the real deal, but a large sauté pan will do the job).

Fry the meat on medium until lightly browned. Push the meat off to one side of the pan.

Put the onion in the free pan space and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. Add the beans/peas and cooked for a minute or so. Add the paprika and cook a little longer to release the aroma.

Add the passata, stir through and warm to simmering. Do the same with the saffron-infused stock. Check seasoning.

Add the rice, and cook with a loose foil cartouche for about 10 mins. Add the prawns on top, re-cover and cook for another 10–15 mins until the rice is cooked. Occasional stirring can help a bit, but you want to keep that to a minimum or you will release the starch from the rice. You are looking for a finished dish where there is very little residual stock, and the rice is cooked. If the dish gets too dry before the rice is cooked, add more warm stock by the ladle.

Once cooked, plonk the pan in the middle of the table and let everyone have at it. The crispy bits on the bottom are the most prized morsels.

White and medium-grained, Glacéis is one of the oldest grown cultivars. It is grown in many regions of Greece, with the largest production in Halastra, Thessaloniki.

The grains in this variety tend to become sticky when cooked, making glacé rice ideally suited for soups, Greek “gemista” (tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice), and rice pudding. In regard to gemista, opinions differ – some people prefer Carolina rice. Try them with both varieties to see which one is closer to your preferences.

Short grain, pearly and crystalline, it is the result of the crossing of the Bomba and Senia varieties. It has an excellent capacity for absorbing flavors and aromas, close to Senia, and with a resistance to overcooking close to the Bomba. The rice is cultivated only in the Albufera of Valencia, under the seal of Denomination of Origin Rice of Valencia.

Paella Valenciana

Ingredients:

600g mixed joints of chicken thighs (off bone and chunked) and duck (off bone and chunked).

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 handfuls of green beans, topped, tailed and halved (or a couple of handfuls of frozen garden peas, defrosted)

2 tbsp smoked paprika

225g passata or canned chopped tomatoes

900ml warm chicken stock (have some more handy in case you need it)

A few strands of saffron

350g albufera rice

12 or so large, raw prawns or shrimp – these are optional, and the original would have used shelled, blanched snails instead (great if you can get those or gather your own)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recipe:

Add the saffron to the stock to infuse it.

Heat the oil in a large, round pan (a 'paella' is the real deal, but a large sauté pan will do the job).

Fry the meat on medium until lightly browned. Push the meat off to one side of the pan.

Put the onion in the free pan space and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. Add the beans/peas and cooked for a minute or so. Add the paprika and cook a little longer to release the aroma.

Add the passata, stir through and warm to simmering. Do the same with the saffron-infused stock. Check seasoning.

Add the rice, and cook with a loose foil cartouche for about 10 mins. Add the prawns on top, re-cover and cook for another 10–15 mins until the rice is cooked. Occasional stirring can help a bit, but you want to keep that to a minimum or you will release the starch from the rice. You are looking for a finished dish where there is very little residual stock, and the rice is cooked. If the dish gets too dry before the rice is cooked, add more warm stock by the ladle.

Once cooked, plonk the pan in the middle of the table and let everyone have at it. The crispy bits on the bottom are the most prized morsels.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

5.5 cups chicken broth or stock

1.5 cups water

4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

1 large onion, finely diced

salt

1 medium garlic clove, pressed or minced

2 cups carnaroli rice

1 cup dry white wine

3 ounces grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more for garnishing

sautéed mushrooms and herbs

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

Sauteed Mushrooms and Herbs:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 ounces dry white wine

2 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves, plus more for garnishing

1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves

freshly ground black pepper

salt

Recipe:

Combine the chicken stock and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a very low simmer.

In a large Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot), heat the butter over medium heat until it is lightly bubbling. Add the onion and salt, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. for Add the carnaroli rice and toast, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes (the individual rice grains should be slightly translucent along the edges).

Add the white wine and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the wine has completely absorbed into the rice. Add 5 cups of the hot broth mixture to the pot, stir, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the lid and stir twice during the cooking process, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a low simmer.

As the risotto is cooking, sauté the mushrooms. Heat very large (more surface area the better) sauté pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and butter, followed by the mushrooms, spreading them into a single layer with a wooden spoon. Sauté the mushrooms for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they have caramelized and the bottom of the pan has formed a nice light brown fond. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Long grain or Indica grain rice, Puntal variety. This rice contains less starch than other varieties, making it the ideal culinary choice when preparing salads and garnishes.

Spanish Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups of puntal or gleva rice

3 cups chicken stock

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained

Pinch of dried oregano

1 tsp salt

Recipe:

Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium/high heat. Add the rice and stir it so that the rice is lightly coated with the oil. Cook on medium high heat, stirring often, until much of the rice has browned.

Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently another 3 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook until the onions are translucent and softened, about a minute more.

To save time you can bring the stock to a simmer in a separate saucepan, with the tomato, oregano, and salt.

Add the browned rice to the simmering broth (or broth to the rice, depending on which pan has a cover). Or you can skip the simmering step and just add the broth and tomatoes to the rice.

Bring everything to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat to barely maintain a low simmer. Cook for 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork or spoon to serve.

Spanish Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups of puntal or gleva rice

3 cups chicken stock

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained

Pinch of dried oregano

1 tsp salt

Recipe:

Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium/high heat. Add the rice and stir it so that the rice is lightly coated with the oil. Cook on medium high heat, stirring often, until much of the rice has browned.

Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently another 3 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook until the onions are translucent and softened, about a minute more.

To save time you can bring the stock to a simmer in a separate saucepan, with the tomato, oregano, and salt.

Add the browned rice to the simmering broth (or broth to the rice, depending on which pan has a cover). Or you can skip the simmering step and just add the broth and tomatoes to the rice.

Bring everything to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat to barely maintain a low simmer. Cook for 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork or spoon to serve.

Italian Rice Balls with Meat and Peas

Ingredients:

500g Originario rice

Half Onion

110 g Minced meat

200 g Tomato sauce

100g Boiled peas

125g Mozzarella cheese

60 g Grated caciocavallo cheese (alternative: parmesan cheese)

2 pieces Eggs

170g Breadcrumbs

50 ml Red wine

30g Butter

2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp Coarse salt

Rosemary and sage some leaves

Recipe:

For the rice

Bring 1.3 litres of water to a boil, add the coarse salt and cook the rice until “al dente” (the water should be completely absorbed). This will allow the starch to remain completely in the pot and you will get a very dry and compact rice

Once the rice is ready, dissolve the saffron in very little hot water and add it to the cooked rice, together with the butter

Add also the grated Caciocavallo cheese (if you couldn’t find it, you can also use the Parmesan cheese), mix and wait for the rice to cool completely

For the ragu (meat sauce)

Cut the onion in small pieces and saute with olive oil in a non-sticky pan until golden

Add the minced meat, brown it over medium heat, then add the red wine and let it evaporate

Add the tomato sauce and the peas, with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 20 minutes with the lid closed

For the arancini

In the meantime, pre-heat the oven at 350 F

Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper until uniform

Cut the mozzarella cheese in cubes

When the rice is cool, we are ready to make arancini! Take a bowl of water near to you and make sure to wet your hands before making each piece (this helps to work the rice)

Take about two tablespoons of rice and compress it in the palm of your left hand (keep your hand with a round shape to leave a hollow in the middle)

Fill it with about one tbsp of meat sauce and the mozzarella cubes

Close it with about the same amount of rice that you took previously

Model it in a rounded or conical shape and then dip the ball in the eggs and then roll them in the breadcrumbs.

Place it on baking paper on the oven tray for about 20 minutes, until they change color (they should become orange but not brown)

Once the preserve only of Chinese emperors, Black rice has a striking deepcolour that adds a dramatic effect toi the plate. Its al dente texture and beautiful nutty flavour makes it a particularly delicious addition to many recipes.

Camargue black rice with haddock, button mushrooms, tomatoes & chard

Ingredients: 1 cup of black rice from the Camargue 1 haddock fillet 5 button mushrooms 6 stalks of chard 4 tomatoes 1 big splash of red vermouth butter olive oil salt & pepper

Strip the leafs from the chard stems and put them aside. Chop the stems in 1cm cubes. Dice the mushrooms and haddock. Quarter the tomatoes. Roughly chop the chard leafs and wash them.

Bring 1/2 litre water to the boil. Wash the rice in cold, running water. When the water boils, add the rice. The rice needs to cook 20-25 minutes so now you’ll have to wait about 10 minutes until you can prepare the rest.

Melt butter with some olive oil in a wok. Add the mushrooms with some salt and pepper. Once they have some colour, add the chard stalks and stirfry for a minute. Then add the haddock. Meanwhile, taste the rice to see whether it is done. Once it is, drain it and set it aside for a moment. If it isn’t or once you’ve set it aside, add the chard leafs to the wok. They’ll wilt quickly and once they are almost gone, add a big splash of red vermouth. Cook it through for another 30 seconds and then add the black rice. Cook everything together for another minute or a half and serve.

Spanish Seafood Paella

Ingredients:

2 cups of senia or bahia rice

3 cups of seafood or fish stock

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of canned diced tomatoes

½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined (they sell these frozen)

½ cup frozen peas

1 pound mussels (can be bought fresh or frozen)

¼ pound calamari tubes, sliced into rings

6 ounces white fish (halibut, cod or seabass)

1 red romano or bell pepper, cut into thick strips

2 tablespoons parsley chopped

1 tsp sweet pimentón (sweet smoked paprika)

2 tablespoons of flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon, cut into wedges (for decorating)

Recipe:

Place paella pan on stove, low heat, and allow to heat up (food cooks more evenly).

Clean and prep the veggies and seafood; set aside in separate bowls (vegetables can be set in same bowl).

Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or paella skillet and allow to heat up (it’s ready when you can see ripples in the oil).

Pat your white fish of choice dry with a paper towel and season with salt. Coat the fish with two tablespoons of flour and sear it for about 1 minute on each side to create a crispy golden crust. The fish will still be raw on the inside, but it’ll finish cooking in the paella. Remove from heat and cut into bite-size cubes; set aside.

Wipe paella skillet and add another 3 tablespoons of EVOO. Sauté 3 minced cloves of garlic until golden brown but don’t let the oil dry up. Remove remaining garlic infused EVOO into a separate container and set aside.

Heat broth/stock in separate saucepan until it begins to simmer (small bubbles form at the bottom, not a rolling boil like is needed for pasta). Add in sweet pimentón and stir to combine. Remove from heat and allow to steep for about 10 minutes.

Take paella pan and raise heat level to medium. Add EVOO to gently coat paella pan. Note that EVOO has a low burn index, if it starts to smoke lower heat.

Add onions to pan and cook until translucent. Add pepper and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add canned tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Slowly add in rice to veggie mixture and stir until rice is mixed with the sautéed vegetables. Once combined, spread the rice so that it makes a thin layer around the pan (completely covering it).

Pour about half of the broth mixture onto the rice until it is fully covered. Once broth is added do not stir the rice, allow for liquid to be completely absorbed. If you find the need to redistribute liquid, simply shuffle the pan from side-to-side.

Begin to evenly distribute seafood across pan and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Mussels and clams are cooked when shells are open, throw out any that do not open. If rice appears muddy, add small amounts of broth to help dissipate.

Add peas and allow to cook.

Once remaining broth has absorbed and seafood has cooked, remove pan from heat. Take garliic/extra virgin olive oil mixture from earlier and heat for a minute. Drizzle heated mixture onto paella. Top with parley and lemon wedges. Serve and enjoy!

Senia and Bahia rice are rice varieties that are slightly similar to Bomba rice. These types of rice also absorb quite a lot of moisture and retain there firm structure after cooking. They are the most grown rice types in Spain.