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Arroz con bogavante is a traditional rice dish originating from Valencia. This brothy rice dish is usually made with a combination of round rice such as arroz bomba, lobster, fish stock, white wine, shrimps, onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, paprika, saffron, olive oil, and seasonings.
The ingredients are sautéed in a pan, then simmered in stock until everything is fully cooked. There should be leftover liquid in the pan, as this dish should be brothy and the rice should float in a liquid broth. The pan is covered and the dish is left to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Seafood paella is one of the most popular paella varieties, not only in Valencia, but also in Andalusia and all along the Spanish coast. Due to the abundance of fresh fish and seafood, this dish is an absolute summer favorite in Spain. Paella de mariscos is prepared with a typical base of saffron-flavored rice, peppers, and tomatoes, but it owes its stunning visual appearance to the flavorful combination of fish, shrimp, mussels, and clams.
It is recommended to prepare this rich dish over a wood fire to infuse it with a delicate smoky aroma.
MOST ICONIC Paella de mariscos
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Often referred to as the original paella, this Valencian classic traditionally consists of rice that is cooked alongside chicken thighs, rabbit, three types of beans, tomatoes, and snails. Valenciana is generously seasoned with saffron and smoked paprika.
It is always prepared in shallow paella pans. According to tradition, the use of additional ingredients is strictly forbidden, and only Valencian rice (PDO) should be employed in the dish. Paella Valenciana is praised for its flavor and the combination of local, authentic ingredients that perfectly illustrate the culinary heritage of the region.
MOST ICONIC Paella Valenciana
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Arròs negre is a Spanish dish originating from Valencia and Catalonia, and it is the most popular in Castellon and Tarragona. It is made with white rice, squid or cuttlefish, and squid ink, which gives the dish its characteristical black color.
The dish is often enriched with the addition of garlic, onions, fish stock, cubanelle peppers, olive oil, and sweet paprika, and many cooks like to add other types of seafood into the paella pan, such as shrimp and crab.
Arroz con conejo y caracoles is a traditional rice dish originating from Alicante. The dish is usually made with a combination of rabbit pieces, bomba rice, snails, stock, saffron, chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, bell peppers, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and seasonings.
The ingredients are browned, then cooked in stock which is brought to a boil, and the heat is then reduced in order for the dish to simmer until everything is fully cooked and the stock is fully absorbed. A crispy layer called socarrat should form at the bottom if the dish is properly prepared.
MOST ICONIC Arroz con conejo y caracoles
Arròs a banda is a Spanish rice dish originating from Alicante in Valencia. The dish was invented by fishermen who reserved the leftover fish from the markets and cooked it with potatoes and onions. The rice was cooked in the leftover fish broth, and it was used as a side dish that accompanies the fish, hence the name arròs a banda which means rice on the side.
The broth is usually cooked with cheap and common fish such as rock fish, monkfish, and fish heads, with the occasional addition of saffron, paprika, bay leaves, garlic, or puréed tomatoes. The broth is always served apart from the rice. This humble rice dish is traditionally accompanied by allioli.
Arroz al forn is a traditional Valencian dish of oven-baked rice. The dish has humble origins – in the past, it was prepared by the poor people that used leftovers from the stews. The ingredients used in this dish include pork ribs, chickpeas, rice, stock, tomatoes, onions, garlic, potatoes, morcilla sausages, paprika, saffron, and olive oil.
The combination of these ingredients is baked in the oven, traditionally in cazuela de barro, which is a terracotta pot. In Xativa, a city near Valencia, there is an annual festival in honor of arroz al forn. There are also versions with added green beans, artichokes, duck, rabbit, chicken, and even pumpkin in some places.
Olleta is a traditional rice dish originating from the Alicante province. Although the dish has a few variations, it’s usually made with a combination of Spanish rice, chickpeas, chestnuts, pumpkin, stock, olive oil, garlic, salt pork or bacon, swiss chard, and salt, while morcilla slices can be added for extra flavor, but it’s completely optional.
Olleta is traditionally cooked in a large cazuela until most of the liquid has been absorbed. The rice should be tender, but still a bit soupy. Before serving, it’s recommended to let the dish rest for a few minutes. This specialty from Alicante is a typical cold-weather fare.
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Arroz con costra is a traditional rice dish, a cross between a paella and a casserole originating from the Alicante area. What differentiates arroz con costra from other Spanish rice dishes is its glossy top crust of beaten eggs, hence the name, as costra means crust.
Although there are some variations, the dish is usually prepared with a combination of rice, eggs, spareribs, pork, chicken (or sometimes rabbit), butifarra sausage, olive oil, tomatoes, stock, salt, and paprika or pimentón. The dish is often made in a large cazuela – the ingredients are first fried, then simmered in the stock, and the cazuela is then transferred to the oven with the beaten eggs poured over the rice.
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