Arroz Amarillo Con Camarones a la Chorrera (Shrimp Rice Porridge)

"Arroz a la Chorrera" in Cuban slang or talk is rice cooked like a porridge, it's thick and soupy, usually made with short-grain rice, colored yellow with saffron, bijol, or achiote seeds. In my house we joke about it since "chorro" could be slang for diarrhea hehe... and chorrera could be having "chorro"... as in "Tengo chorrera" translates to "I have diarrhea... so we say... "rice diarrhea style" (yeah yeah I know sick humor) but "chorro" could also mean a strong burst of water...

In Spain however rices prepared like a thick porridge are usually called "Arroz Caldoso" (brothy rice) and is cooked with whatever you want, usually seafood like Calamari, or a combinations of shrimp, clams, etc.

I wasn't sure if I was gonna label this post "Arroz Caldoso Con Camarones" or "Arroz Con Camarones a la Chorrera" but I think I'll go with the label "a la Chorrera" since it's what we call it down here at home :) Usually when prepared we love to use a combination of clams and shrimp to make "Arroz Con Mariscos a la Chorrera" (rice and seafood porridge) but we had non on hand so we decided to make a delicious "Arroz Con Camarones a la Chorrera" (shrimp rice porridge)

Ingredients:
-2 cups short-grain rice (like Bomba, Calasparra, Calrose, Arborio, etc.)
-1 1/2 lbs. shrimp (peeled and deveined, shells reserved)
-1 lbs. clams (I didn't have any but if you add them it will be wonderful :)
-9-12 cups shrimp stock (see directions, stock is made from reserved shrimp shells)
-2 cups more or less clam stock (optional only if using clams)
-1 onion finely minced
-1 green bell pepper minced
-6 cloves garlic minced
-4 oz. tomato sauce or 1 fresh grated tomato
-extra-virgin olive oil as needed
-1 cup fresh or frozen peas
-4 large carrots cut into rounds
-1 tablespoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika (Pimienton de la Vera)
-saffron to color rice yellow or 1 teaspoon bijol powder or achiote seed infused oil
-salt to taste
Directions:
(1) Peel and devein the shrimp (in case you don't know how, you squeeze the end of the tails, pull back and remove half the peel then remove the rest, put in a bowl the peels and in another the shells) then to remove the black veins by using a knife and cutting open the back then removing the black string vein. Wash them away. Set aside.

(2) In a large or medium pot add shrimp shells and water, bring to a boil, remove foam and let boil for 5- 10 minutes, reserve stock.
(3) If using clams which I didn't have, put clams in a pot with enough water to barely cover them, leave on high heat, when the clams open, turn off heat, remove them, and strain stock and reserve. Set clams aside. (again I didn't have any wish I did)

(4) Alright now, heat a large pot with generous amounts of extra-virgin olive oil, sautee onions and bell peppers on medium high heat until translucent maybe 5-8 minutes, then add garlic sautee another 2-3 minutes, then add tomato let cook down another 5 minutes. Add shrimp stock about 12 cups (If you were using clams, add the clam stock and the rest of the stock should be shrimp), generous amounts of salt (the water has to be salty add about 3 teaspoons), coloring and sweet smoked Spanish paprika.

(5) Bring to a rolling boil on high heat, add washed rice lower heat to low, cover and simmer rice on low for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes, add and fold in carrots, higher heat back to high heat to bring to boil, simmer carrots 10 minutes on low, if the rice looks to thick for you at this point, you want it soupier add more stock or water with a pinch of salt until you reach desired consistency.

(6) Lastly fold in shrimp and clams(if using clams) and peas and let cook an additional 5 minutes.
(7) Serve in large bowls with a salad of your choice.


PLEASE NOTE:
(1) If you don't have sweet smoked Spanish paprika, and want to season it in a more Cuban fashion don't use the paprika and replace it with 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 bay leaves, and black pepper to taste that's how my grandmother seasons it, I just prefer it with the sweet smoked Spanish paprika, also my grandmother doesn't add carrot but I like it for color and taste.

(2) I have a secret that makes mine extremely delicious it's not on my recipe list since it might be taboo for Spanish and Cuban Cuisine... but what makes mine extra special is I add 1 tablespoon of Fish Sauce (it's a type of sauce made of fermented fish) and 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamine to the stock...

(3) Also if interested in other versions of this dish you can check out Pilar Lechuza's recipe for "Arroz Caldoso Con Mariscos" she's a wonderful cook specializing in food from Galicia, Spain check out her blog sometime :)

Another good version is done with lobster and mussels she labeled it as "Lobster Soupy Rice" but I'm sure in Spanish she probably calls it "Arroz Caldoso Con Longosta" or something, this one is prepared by Nuria from Barcelona, Spain also very delicious you should also check out her blog :)

In addition there's also a great video by someone I do not know on youtube on preparing "Arroz Caldoso Con Mariscos" :)

Aporreado de Bacalao (Flaked Salted Cod Stew)

I will say just like I said in my old post for "Frituritas de Bacalao" (salted cod fritters) dry salted cod is called "Bacalao" by Cubans, Spaniards, and I assume Portuguese too. Bacalao has been around for probably ages (by that I mean ancient times like when Spain wasn't even Spain) and was popular because it can last a very long time and didn't need refrigeration or anything in the old days. It is still popular in Spain and Cubans also enjoy Bacalao.

Their are many ways to cook prepare it, (it is said I don't know by who but that there are 1,000 ways to cook Bacalao) the recipe I present today is "Aporreado de Bacalao" (Flaked Salted Cod Stew), flaked de-salted cod is simmered in a savory tomato based sauce formed with the salted cod stock, the bacalao and the sauce marry to create a unique flavor and the sliced boiled potatoes that accompany it are simmered in the salted cod stock to create a very delicious savory comforting stew.

Main Ingredient:
-1 lbs. bacalao/ dry salted cod (de-salted and flaked)

For the sauce Ingredients:
-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-1 onion finely minced
-1 green bell pepper finely minced (or red or 1/2 green 1/2 red)
-4 cloves garlic mashed to a paste (garlic press, mortar or super minced)
-8 oz/ 1 cup prepared tomato sauce
-1/2 cup dry white wine
-2 cups salted cod stock
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

To finish the dish Ingredients:
-4 large potatoes (boiled in salted cod stock)
-finely minced parsley to garnish (we use cilantro though but traditionally parsley I guess)

Directions:
(1) Get the dry salted cod, rinse well, place it in a pot or container with water enough to cover, soak at least 24 hours (it's okay if you soak a little longer don't be so precise or paranoid about time) changing water every 6-8 hours (just whenever you remember).
After 24 hours it looked like this:
(2) Afterward, put salted cod in pot with water and bring to a boil then let boil for 5 minutes, remove cod DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT THROW AWAY THE LIQUID YOU BOILED THE SALTED COD IN YOU WILL USE THIS STOCK TO BOIL THE POTATOES AND MAKE THE SAUCE FOR THE COD
Once cod is removed cool and remove any bones, and skin and flake the cod pieces into small pieces. Reserve.

(3) In the boiling salted cod stock, add whole raw peeled potatoes and boil 25- 30 minutes, then remove, cut them into thick rounds and set aside.
(4) Of course while the potatoes are boiling and you are flaking the cod you can multi-task and make the sauce. Heat a large deep-pan over medium high heat, add olive oil, saute onions and bell peppers lowering the heat to medium until translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic and saute an additional maybe 3-4 minutes (don't burn the garlic) now add the tomato sauce,
stir well,
add the dry white wine, and salted cod stock. bring to a boil. Season with cumin and oregano incorporate well DO NOT SALT IT THE BACALAO IS SALTY.
(5) Now add the flaked bacalao stir gently,
lower heat to medium low arrange potatoes on top, making sure to spoon over some of the sauce for the potatoes, let simmer about 4-5 minutes on low.
Then dust with minced parsley.
(6) Enjoy with fluffy white rice (steamed with a little salt and a good heavy drizzle extra-virgin olive oil) if you wish a light salad is good with this I wanted some Avocado instead though which is perfectly fine :)

Please Note:
(1) Everyone desalts the cod differently. The technique I used was by Mary Urratia Randelman from the book "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen" I liked the results. Meaty but the salted cod ex paned and was still meaty and chewy but not to chewy and soft. You may use whatever method you like.

To desalt my Tata (grandmother) rinses and boils the cod and drains it all in the same day. No soaking just straight to boil, and drains and re-boils until it's been desalted enough. Her method is very salty and tough but I grew up eating it that way but wanted to try something different. (I used her method for the salted cod fritters see post)

Other people soak it for 2 days then boil, some for 3 days even up to a week then never boil.

(2) Potatoes are delicious but if one wishes you can make it without potatoes and serve it with some steamed Boniato (white fleshed sweet potato/ yam) very delicious the salty and sweet contrast.

(3) My Tata's version of Bacalao a la Vizcaina (salted cod basque-style) is almost identical to this recipe except she uses about 2 lbs of salted cod and cuts the cod into 2-3 inch squares and simmers those chunks in the sauce, that recipe I will share sometime in the future (but maybe I won't use my grandmothers or I'll combine her recipe with another I saw one that uses bittersweet smoked Spanish paprika and some that use dried nora peppers/ pimientos choriceros which a friend brought me from Spain on her break) expect a post for "Arroz Con Bacalao" (salted cod and yellow rice) in the very near future. I had two pounds of salted cod, used 1 lbs, for this recipe, will use 1/2 lbs. for some fritters, and the other 1/2 lbs. for the "Arroz Con Bacalao"

Frituritas de Bacalao (Salted Cod Fritters)

These fritters are made from dry salted cod that has been de-salted and rehydrated. Dry salted cod is called "Bacalao" by Cubans, Spaniards, and I assume Portuguese to. Bacalao has been around for probably ages and was popular because it can last a very long time and didn't need refridgeration or anything in the old days. It is still popular in Spain and Cubans also enjoy Bacalao.

Salted cod fritters are more of a Spaniard thing but also enjoyed by Cubans (many of whom are of Spaniard parentage, etc. so much of it's cooking is heavely influenced and we share some dishes of course I am talking about pre-Castro Cuba the Cuba of today is different as well as the Cuban population there migration by Spaniards came to a halt after the Communist revolution, and most of Spanish parentage fled to USA or many left to Franco's Spain at the time.)

I have seen several recipes for salted-cod fritters and the recipe I am showing you today is from my great grandfather Raymundo Gutierrez, who was born in Spain and settled in Cuba. He is my grandmother's (my Tata's) father in law. He use to have a "Bodeguita" (like a type of food store) in Habana, Cuba around the streets "Bella's Quaine" (I hope I spelled it right) and "Louie" from (or maybe "Compastela"?) 1940- 50's not sure exactly where but my grandma said it wasn't to far from "Hobras Publicas" she said it was a large business district. The name of the store my Tata tell's me was "La Bodega de Clemente" (named after my Cuban born grandfather Clemente Gutierrez)

He use to be known for his salted cod fritters, and sold them in his "Bodega" (small food grocery place), my Tata tells me he use to make big batches and keep them warm in some container and start selling them at around 8 AM and everyone loved them at the time they sold for 10 cents each fritter.

So yeah this recipe is fairly old, the last time everyone heard from Raymundo Gutierrez was in 1963, he had citizen ship in the US and as well and fought in world war 1, he left Cuba during the revolution, but he was hearing rumours of how Fidel Castro was gonna "make Cuba better" and all his false promises, he was decieved and decided to go back to Cuba, he was told he could keep his business and what not, when he left my Tata and grandfather would send him his retirement checks from here but they would get cashed and they never would hear from him, after investigating someone was cashing them but it wasn't his signature, and he never responded to letters, time passed and they didn't here from him or anything.

They passed him for dead no one knows what really happened, my Tata thinks maybe he was killed like so many where during the first 5 years of the dictatorship for having a big mouth, or he realized what he got himself into and tried to escape and probably died at sea trying to get back to US. Not sure.

So there's a little backround story for those interested :)

Ingredients:
-1 lbs. Bacalao (dry salted cod preferebly the fillets)
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 handful about 1 bunch finely minced fresh parsley leaves
-6 cloves garlic peeled mashed to a paste
-2 large eggs, beaten
-1 1/2 cups water (or more as needed)
Directions:
(1)Get the salted cod, rinse, and put in a large pot of water and bring to a boil, then when it comes to a boil drain, and put back in a pot with more water and bring to a boil again let it boil until salted cod can be flaked with a fork a bit, taste if it's salty if so, you need to drain it and bring to a boil again with more water (yeah I know time consuming but it's my grandmothers method she doesn't like to prepare in advance and soak the salted cod for several days or a day so yeah)




(2)Now get the de-salted bacalao and remove any spines or skins and flake into small bite size pieces, set aside.

(3)Now put the flour in a large bowl, and add baking soda, add eggs slowly add water until you get a pancake batter consistency, you may need more water than called for just eye ball it add a little at a time and be sure it's a loose pancake batter consistency. Mix in parsley and mashed garlic. Then fold incorporate flaked cond fish.

(4)You now have your batter, cover it all let it rest atleast 2-3 hours in the refridgerator preferably let it rest over night.

(5)When ready heat enough oil to deep or pan-fry at medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes (to test it I dip a wooden spoon and if it sizzles and or bubbles around it's ready) now get the batter and drop it by the tablespoonfuls and fry until golden on both sides you can move it around with a fork and a spoon.

(6)Do not over crowd pan, and have a large plate or whatever with papertowels or paper bags to drain them on.

(7) Enjoy while hot the batter can last a while so you can fry only what your gonna eat.

You can serve it as a appetizer, snack, or to replace the meat dish in a meal.As you can see in the picture below I was a gluttonous pig (yes I'm a sinner to I had Avocado salted, Platano Frito, Arroz Blanco, and Frijoles Negros topped with minced onion and very generous drizzles of olive oil with a sprinkle of salt yes we love olive oil)

Harina de Maiz Con Patas de Cangrejo (Cuban Polenta with Crab Legs)

It doesn't get more messy and home-style than this. These are crab legs and claws cooked in a flavorful cornmeal pudding with a strong cuban sofrito and spices. This dish is VERY MESSY! The crab legs and claws are smothered in polenta, you got to use your hands and teeth and dig in that's how you eat this, and a spoon to eat the polenta, but for the most part you'll be using your hand and mouth to break the crab leg pieces and suck the polenta stuck to them, the delicious polenta even get's inside the crab legs so good. I suggest you eat this with family and close friends because it is not a dish to be practicing one's "manners"

Cubans refer to cornmeal used to make "polenta" type dishes as "Harina de Maiz" which means "Flour of Corn" if translated directly. We use regular fine yellow corn meal for this stuff.

Cuban cornmeal based dishes are almost non-existent in Cuban restaurants from what I have seen and I really don't know why they aren't in Cuban restaurant menu's. I'm sure many would love them.

In Cuban cooking cornmeal was used to make cormeal porridges similar to polenta that are flavored with typical Cuban seasonings, and then meat or seafood is added, such as pork, shrimp, or crab that's how it is in my household. Also cornmeal can be boiled with water or milk and sweetened with sugar to have it as a breakfast, or simply just boiled with water and salt to use in place of rice in Cuban cooking. We also have a dessert called "Majarete" (Sweet Cuban Corn pudding) which can be made with a really fine ground cormeal. Eventually in my blog I will have all the cornmeal dishes that I enjoy in my house posted to share with all of you.

Anyways in Oriente provinces (Eastern Cuba) my grandma told me that plain boiled salted cornmeal was usually associated with "poor people food" as it was cheap and filling, and during the depression it was popular. OF COURSE she says that many people consumed it simply because they enjoyed it (such as her and her family which where never poor in Cuba and fortunate enough to leave before that revolution and Castro's conquest of Cuba)

Just so you guys know when I speak of Cuban cooking I speak of pre-castro, as in 1950's and way more back as in the food my grandmother and grandfathers family cooked a long time ago and passed on through generations which eventually ended up with me still preserving their cooking and eating habits.

Ingredients:
-2 lbs. crab legs and claws (washed well, and torn into segments like seperate them at each joint into sections)
-2 cups yellow cornmeal
-10 cups water
-1 medium onion minced
-1 medium or small green bell pepper minced
-1/2 a head of garlic peeled mashed to a paste (garlic press or mortar)
-extra-virgin olive oil
-salt to taste (about 2 tsp. or more)
-1/2- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon "Bijol" (annato seed/ achiote powder)

Directions:
(1)Have everything chopped and ready. In a large pot, bring 10 cups water to a boil WITH NO SALT.


(2)Meanwhile heat generous amounts of olive oil in a pan, sautee onions and bell pepper until translucent (5-7 minutes) add garlic and sautee until fragrant. You may add a few pinches of salt in there. Stir and set aside in pan leave it alone. Turn off heat.

(3)Get cornmeal and put it in a bowl, wash it in cold water twice. Yes you heard wash it to remove excess starch. You do this by putting it in a big bowl, adding water and swooshing your hands, then letting it sit less than a minute so the cornmeal sinks back down just a bit and pouring water out. Do this twice.

(4)Add this to the boiling water and stir constantly (this is the toughest part if you don't stir constantly it will lump on you) stir well on high heat until it comes to a bubbling boil (you do not want this hot bubbling cornmeal to jump at you it hurts). When it's boiling lower to low heat, cook it for a total of 15 minutes.

(5)When cooking for 15 minutes, lower heat to very low, add cumin, bijol, salt to taste, and "sofrito" (onion, garlic, bell pepper sautee in olive oil), stir well, add crab legs and claws and brin to medium heat stir gently for about 5 more minutes until flavors come through, taste if it needs more salt.


(6)It's DONE! You do not want to serve this piping hot it WILL BURN YOU! Let it sit a bit, then serve it.

You serve this as a stand alone dish if you wish a light salad or some vegetable dish in a separate plate may be served.

PLEASE NOTE:

My grandmother does this "a lo Gallego" very rustic and carefree, the crab shells really add much flavor to the dish, IT IS MESSY AND FUN! I suggest you try it :)