Paella de Mariscos (Seafood Paella)

Paella de Mariscos/ Seafood Paella is typically short grain rice cooked with well a mixture of seafood. In my family it's well the only thing they consider "Paella" Now variations with sausage, pork, chicken etc. combined with seafood we call it "Paella Mixta"/ Mixed Paella (mixed Paella because well it mixes meat and seafood)

Now to all those purist who argue on how a Paella is made, just so you know the AUTHENTIC Paella from VALENCIA Spain resembles nothing of what a Paella is thought of around the world. The AUTHENTIC PAELLA called "Paella Valenciana" it is made with olive oil, rabbit, snails, some type of broad beans, grated tomato, garlic, smoked paprika, rosemary, a good stock and short-grain rice. Nothing more nothing less. How Paella evolved into many, many other variations I don't know hehe, but hey the more the merrier right? and for those that say you can only make it using "Saffron" and otherwise it's taboo I wanna say bull $h!t, yes saffron has a nice fragrance but many people in Spain use "Colorante Alimentario" when makiing Paella which is a powdered coloring that makes rices yellow, when I use that I use a brand called "Bijol" which is available in most Latin stores in the states. In my opinion the key to a good Paella is cooking down the aromatics (garlic, tomato, onion whatever you used) and having a very good flavorful stock, also water to rice ratio.

Now that I got that out of the way MY VERSION of Paella, my version of Paella is made with only seafood shrimp, mussels/ clams, calamari, scallops or fish chunks cooked in a seafood stock with spices and a good sofrito of onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Garnished with fire roasted red bell peppers and peas. This recipe is a combination of my 86 year old grandmothers recipe well what I know works in the kitchen (she insisted the one her father made had cumin and sweet smoked spanish paprika so I used them in this Paella, and she didn't want any tomato in the sofrito so that's what I went with and after all today when I made this Paella I made it for her, and my goal was well to make her happy so what she said goes :)

Ingredients for stock:
-water (enough to fill a large pot half way)
-shrimp shells (reserved from peeling shrimp)
-mussel or clam broth (reserved from opening the clams or mussels)
-salt to taste

Main Ingredients:
-1 lbs. short grain rice (3 cups)
-1 large squid (cleaned, gutted, skin removed, cut into rings, or squares)
-1 lbs. shrimp, cleaned, de-veined, shells removed and reserved to make stock
-1 lbs. mussels or clams (or a mix of both I used just mussels this time)
-1/2 lbs. firm white fish filets cut into chunks or scallops (optional your choice I like em in there I used scallops this time)
-1 onion minced
-1 green or red bell pepper minced
-4-6 cloves garlic finely minced
-1/2-1 cup dry white wine or 1 can of a light colored beer
-1 tablespoon "Pimenton" (sweet smoked Spanish paprika)
-1/2 tsp. ground cumin -1- 2 bay leaves
-powdered saffron or "colorante alimentario" or "bijol" to give the rice it's yellow color
-6 cups of a good seafood stock (see recipe)

Ingredients for garnishes
-1 fire roasted red bell pepper (cut into strips)
-1 handful of peas

Directions for stock:
(1) Grab the reserved shrimp shells, throw in pot with water, bring to a boil and leave alone for about 10- 15 minutes then turn off heat, and strain. Set aside.

(2) Meanwhile get mussels or clams, scrub them well, and put in a small pot with oil heat stirring occasionally until they open. They will release juice, strain the juices through a very fine strainer, reserve them and add it to your shrimp stock.

(3) Very simple right that's the stock you will use to cook your rice :) NOW PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING I understand some will buy pre-cooked frozen mussels or clams, and their shrimp will already be peeled thus not being able to make the stock from scratch, that is OK don't freak out, instead of making the stock use water but be sure to boil the water and add 2 cubes of shrimp bouillon and set it aside, it's not EXACTLY the same but it will work, or buy a good quality seafood stock.

Directions for making the Paella:
(1) Heat a very generous amount of olive oil over high heat in a large wide pan (preferably a Paellera) if you don't have one use a gigantic non-stick pan, or large wide round metal pan either will work. Add your calamari/ squid to the oil and stir, it will release juices allow it to reduce until it's just oil.

(2) Now add your garlic, onions, bell pepper and bay leaves stir occasionally and lower heat to medium high. Allow this mixture to cook 5-8 minutes until fragrant and translucent.

(3) Add your rice, sweet smoked spanish paprika & cumin and give it a good stir so everything get's mixed, well.
(4) Add your boiling/ hot seafood stock (that you either made yourself, or used bouillon cube, or bought pre-made). Add your saffron (I grinded about 1 tsp. in a mortar) or you can use about 1/2 - 1 tsp bijol or other substance that will color the rice yellow. Allow everything to come to a boil over high heat, give a good stir and allow to boil over high heat uncovered approximately 10 minutes, then lower heat to medium high and allow to boil uncovered another 8 minutes,

(5) Add your raw shrimp, scallops or fish filets and press into the Paella lightly, insert the mussels and clams and allow to cook uncovered an additional 4 minutes or so. Remove from heat, cover with a cloth, and allow to rest 5- 10 minutes

Directions for garnish (optional)
(1) Arrange fire roasted red bell peppers cut into strips and scatter peas over the paella just for some eye appeal I guess :) To make your own fire roasted red bell pepper, simply put the red bell pepper fresh over a flame on your stove and move around with tongs until charred all over, wrap in plastic bag and allow to sweat for about 5-10 minutes, then peel off skin and slice into long strips :)

P.S.
Yeah sorry I didn't take so many pictures, but I still havent gotten a new camera, bummed one of my dad for the day, and got lost having conversations with the family and socializing while being in the kitchen that I forgot to take pictures of every step. I will re-blog this again but just wanted to share :)
Also if you guys want to see some interesting variations of Paella type dishes check out my post for "Paella de Nabo Con Costilla de Cerdo y Coliflor" (mixed rice dish of turnip, cauliflower and pork ribs) that dish is a family favorite. Also for something American that is just as delicious check out my post for "Jambalaya" (which is another one of my favorite rice dishes) can't forget the "Arroz Con Pollo" (yellow rice and chicken) I also make a pretty killer "soupy rice with chicken" we call "Arroz Caldoso Con Pollo" some Cubans call it "Arroz Con Pollo a la Chorrera"
NOTE:
I didn't do it this time, but I would've loved to add fresh grated tomato to the "sofrito" or prepared tomato sauce but I didn't because I know my grandmother doesn't like it when people add tomato to mixed yellow rice dishes. Also I like to serve mine with lime or lemon wedges because well in my opinion it brightens it up however my parents and grandmother do not eat it that way they :)

Arroz Caldoso Con Costilla (Soupy Rice with Pork Ribs)

I've been craving this dish for awhile, with the weather getting chillier, soups and stews are what we crave the most this time of year.

This is a very comforting hardy thick rice porridge with pork spareribs, guaranteed to warm you up, leftovers taste even better!

Like I've said in previous posts these type of soupy rice dishes in Spanish cuisine rice dishes like this can be cooked with almost anything pork ribs, chicken, seafood, etc. it's essentially in it's most basic form rice with a sofrito (sautee of onion, garlic, bell pepper sometime tomato) with a lot of liquid and some spices married with your choice of protein. However in typical Cuban cuisine I only see this done with chicken however, and other Caribbean countries with either chicken or shrimp. I do love all the other Spanish variations though :)

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 lbs. pork spare ribs
-extra-virgin olive oil
-1 onion minced
-1 green or red bell pepper minced
-1/2 head garlic minced
-1 can 8 oz. tomato sauce or 3 grated fresh tomatoes
-1/2 cup dry white wine
-1 tsp. sweet smoked spanish paprika (for a different taste/ more Cuban flavor as opposed to Spanish substitute the sweet smoked spanish paprika for ground cumin)
-2-3 bay leaves
-12 cups water or meat stock (any chicken, beef, pork, mine looked real red because I actually had a lot of leftover stock from when my mother made Pozole a type of Mexican Hominy and Pork stew which is the reason I made this)
-salt to taste
-2 cups short-grain rice (calrose, bomba, arborio, whatever you can get ahold of)
-saffron or annato seed powder/ bijol or what they call in Spain "colorante"
-parsley or cilantro minced to garnish (optional)

Directions:
(1) Heat a real deep-pot over medium high heat, add olive oil and when it's hot sautee onion, bell pepper, and garlic together for about 7-10 minutes stirring occasionally, add pork spareribs stir til they lose raw color, then stir in sweet smoked Spanish paprika and tomato sauce, let reduce a bit.
(2) Add hot boiling stock or water and boil meat until tender about 40 minutes.
(3) When meat is tender add your rice (I premixed the raw rice with the bijol powder if using saffron you can add the saffron threads to the boiling stock and let it all infuse)
(4) Let simmer on medium low, give a stir every 10 minutes,
after 30 minutes, remove from heat and serve in large shallow bowls, you can accompany it with a salad or whatever other vegetable sides, or simply eat alone
P.S.
For a chicken version of these types of porridges see my post for "Arroz Caldoso Con Pollo" for a shrimp variation see my "Arroz Con Camarones a la Chorrera" :)

Arroz Caldoso Con Pollo (Soupy Rice with Chicken)

In Spanish "Arroz" means rice, and "Caldoso" means soupy, so direct translation would be "Soupy Rice" "con" means with and "pollo" well everyone knows this it's chicken :D

In Spanish cuisine as in Spain soupy rice dishes like this can be cooked with almost anything pork ribs, chicken, seafood, etc. it's essentially in it's most basic form rice with a sofrito (sautee of onion, garlic, bell pepper sometime tomato) with a lot of liquid and some spices married with your choice of protien.

Cuban Cuisine shares the same type of dish except it's called "a la Chorrera" (see my post for "Arroz Amarillo Con Camarones a la Chorrera" for explanation ha ha) and can be thicker reason it's shared is because back before the communist pigs took over Cuba in 1959 a large proportion of Cuba's population were "Criollos" and Spaniards (meaning Cubans born of almost pure Spanish ancestry, example my grandmother is from Spain and my grandpa is Cuban born of Spaniard parents)

So here's my recipe similar to my Tata's (see note below)

Ingredients:
-1 whole chicken, cut into segments, cleaned/ rinsed well, skin on, bone in
-1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-1 onion chopped
-1 green or red bell pepper chopped
-1/2 head garlic minced
-1 carrot, peeled cut into rounds (optional I use it to add some sweetness and more color)
-2 large tomatoes finely chopped or grated
-12 cups water
-2 cups short-grain rice
-2 bay leaves
-1 teaspoon cumin
-2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (optional but makes it more savory/ adds umami)
-salt to taste
-colorante/ bijol, or saffron your choice (to make the porridge a golden yellow)

Optional for garnishing purposes:
-handful or peas for garnish
-fire roasted red bell pepper strips for garnish

Directions:
(1) Heat extra-virgin olive oil on medium high, add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and carrot sautee until translucent, add tomato stir well,

(2) Throw water, bay leaves, cumin, salt, the saffron or bijol, and the optional chicken bouillon powder. Bring to a boil, throw your chicken cut in segments and cleaned in and let boil on medium low for 20 minutes covered.

(3) After 20 minutes, add your short- grain rice, bring to a rolling boil, give a good stir, and simmer on medium low for 30 minutes, giving a good stir and scraping the bottom so it doesn't stick every 10 minutes.

(4) It's done as it cools it thickens, don't expect it to be real real soupy it's more like a thick porridge,
Garnish if you'd like I only had peas on hand no fire roasted red bell pepper
Remove from heat, serve with a salad and if your not watching your carbs or weight some good crusty bread, this picture was me and my Tata enjoying lunch :)

PLEASE NOTE:
-Using skin-on bone in chicken makes a world of a difference for these types of dishes.

Grandmother's Variation:
-My Tata does this slightly different, she simply throws everything in the pot minus the olive and rice, boils everything together 20 then she adds the rice gives it a good stir and let's it cook an additional 30 minutes turns off another good stir and it's ready. Most people however I've seen sautee the aromatics I do too. My grandma's logic "Asi lo hacia mi papa a lo gallego, y tambien el pollo con piel y todo ya tiene bastante grasa igual si lo aces con costilla no tienes que acer sofrito asi queda bien y igual de rico" translates to "That's how my dad did it the care free simple way, the chicken already has plenty of fat and same thing if you make it with pork ribs, you don't have to sautee in aromatics it comes out just fine"

P.S.
From now on every time I want thick porridge like rice and chicken I will make it this same exact way because it was the best "a la Chorrera" type of rice and chicken dish I've had! Trust me it's simple but something about boiling the chicken for a while in the water forming a stock, and everything just simmering together for an appropriate amount of time gave a WOW flavor.

For the dry version see "Arroz Con Pollo en forma de Paella"

Arroz Con Pollo en Forma de Paella (Chicken and Rice in Paella form)

Before I begin for this recipe your going to need a "Paellera" which is a large flat round pan, or a large round kinda flat clay pot, if not it won't come out the same or work. Also if your burner is too small it won't work well or you'll have to rotate it many times.

I've been looking forward to making a Seafood Paella, but wanted to give myself a practice round so I made "Arroz Con Pollo" (chicken with rice) and cooked it in the same fashion (cooking time, liquid ratios, technique) that I would use to make the seafood paella.

Traditionally the technique to cook "Paella" is to cook outdoors on charcoal or wood fire or indoors over flaming coals. Some people use large burners also. The rice is never covered, it's cooked open in a large flat pan called a "Paellera"in english a "Paella pan" I didn't feel like cooking it outdoors and was okay using one of my normal stove burners since it was large enough, and I ended up using to burners towards the end to get my rice to cook evenly. Rotating and technique was important on my stove top.

I've made this dish before for a friend at his house, unfortunately his stove was really small and the burner so i could never get my paellera in the center of the fire, the rice didn't cook evenly, parts burnt and the fire just wasn't large and wide enough to make all the water evaporate perfectly. I ended up with mushy rice.

But here at home it came out perfect :)

Ingredients:
-3 lbs. chicken cut into small pieces
-1 onion minced
-1 bell pepper minced
-1/2 head garlic minced
-2 ripe grated tomatoes or chopped or 1/2 cup tomato sauce
-salt to taste
-ground black pepper to taste
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-2 bay leaves
-1 can or bottle of your favorite beer or 1 cup dry white wine
-5 cups water plus 1 more so I guess 6 (you may need more depending on your burner or stove)
-2 1/2 cups short grain rice
-1 tsp. bijol/ colorante/ saffron or a sazon goya packet with achiote or azafran for color

Optional:
-1/2- 1 cup frozen peas for color
-1 fire roasted red bell pepper cut into strips for color

Directions:
(1) Heat a the large pan on high heat, when hot, quickly add olive oil, lower heat to medium high, sprinkle with salt so chicken won't stick to much, and add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Brown chicken on all sides

(2) While chicken is browning, chop your onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Once browned, stir in onion and bell pepper, allow to cook down until translucent, add garlic cook until fragrant, add tomato sauce stir well and reduce, add all your spices, bay leave, cumin, oregano. Stir well, and stream in beer all of it, allow to reduce on high heat and it will deglaze everything to until it's thick and coats the chicken.
(3) Add your water and bring to a boil on high heat, add saffron or bijol or whatever coloring you used, along with 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional) lower heat to medium high and allow chicken to boil for about 10-15 minutes uncovered or more until it's tender.
(4) Somewhere in between while doing all that stuff, clean your rice by washing it 3 times, and drain it well, add it to the boiling pot in the form of a cross (I don't know why it's superstition or tradition I guess)
(5) Spread it evenly, throw your peas (optional) allow to boil on high heat for 5 minutes, then lower heat to medium high for 15 minutes
(6) Turn off heat, cover with a cloth, and seal with a top if you have one let it rest at least 10 more minutes (this will make the harder rice on top poof or be tender enough to eat)
(7) Uncover, decorate with fire roasted red bell pepper
(8) Served it at the table family style so everyone can just pile it up on their plates, along with a delicious salad. Felt like doing this close- up
On my plate, I went a little light on the yellow coloring but it was still delicious
PLEASE NOTE:
*I have a pot of boiling water on the side, in case the rice absorbs all the liquid to quickly and needs more, I ladle hot boiling water or broth carefully.

*Also this is the best Arroz Con Pollo I have made, my family loved it! From now on this will be the "Arroz Con Pollo" I will be making :)

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" :)

Paella de Coliflor Con Nabo y Costilla de Cerdo (Pork Rib, Turnip, and Cauliflower Paella)

This dish is a favorite in my household, when turnips were in season we'd make it at least once a week. It is a type of mixed paella with golden short-grain rice painted with saffron, seasoned with sweet smoked Spanish paprika, cooked with pork ribs, cauliflower, and turnips.

I first learned this recipe from a woman who calls herself "SHITAKE" a Valencian woman from Cullera, Spain now residing in the island of Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. Click here for her recipe, "PAELLA DE COLIFLOR CON NABO Y COSTILLA DE CERDO"

People from the region of Valencia are very well known for their rice dishes and they are the creators of the "Paella" however people abroad are only familiar with the "Paella Mixta" (Seafood and Meat) and "Paella de Mariscos" (Seafood Paella)

In addition there are many varieties of Paella, the common thing in all Paellas however is short-grain rice, garlic, tomato, liquid and coloring. The rest can vary and a number of combinations can be made using vegetables, meat and seafood

I will not get into the argument of what is authentic or traditional Paella. Paella has been customized so much depending on regional and local ingredients that I will not touch the subject, BUT I will say if I was inviting a Cuban or someone else for dinner I would not just say, "I'm making Paella for dinner" if I'm cooking this dish because they will automatically expect golden saffron rice with seafood, and to not get in arguements with my grandmother I just refer to this dish as "Arroz Amarillo Con Nabo, Coliflor y Costilla" (Yellow Rice with Turnips, Cauliflower and Ribs) just specify and you'll be fine ;)

Ingredients:
-3 cups short-grain rice (such as cal rose, Valencia, Bomba, Calaspara, or Arborio)
-6 cups water (add an extra cup if you like it stickier and soupier I do)
-2 lbs. pork spareribs cut into small pieces (more or less it's up to you)
-1/2 or 1 whole cauliflower (depends the size and how much you want to use)
-2-3 turnips (again depends how much you want to use)
-2-4 cloves garlic minced (to taste you can add more if you like)
-1 fresh tomato grated or blended
-1 teaspoonful sweet smoked Spanish paprika
-saffron or teaspoon of other coloring (like bijol, achiote or turmeric) enough to make yellow like 1 tsp.
-extra-virgin olive oil (enough to coat pan)

Directions:
(1) Heat paellera (or a super large shallow pan) on high heat, when hot lower heat to medium high, and add olive oil when heated then add pork ribs seasoned with salt and allow to brown (this takes a while)

(2) While ribs browning prep everything, wash the rice several times until water runs clear, at least 3-4 times drain, and mix with sweet smoked Spanish paprika and saffron or other coloring powder such as bijol, also chop all vegetables and everything.

(3) When ribs are browned add cubed turnips, chopped cauliflower, and cook for a couple minutes, add garlic, stir until fragrant about 2-3 minutes, then grated tomato.

(4) Finally add the rice that has already been washed and mixed with coloring and sweet smoked Spanish paprika, mix well until well coated in oil, and everything.

(5) Finally add the water and bring to a boil on high heat, lower heat to medium low and let boil uncovered 25- 30 minutes, afterwards turn off heat,
(6) Cover rice pan with a cloth and it's cover remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.
(7) It's ready to be served, it can stand alone as one meal or you can accompany it with a salad :) I was gonna take a picture of the Paella when it was uncovered but everyone already tunneled into more than half of it.

PLEASE NOTE:
(1) For this recipe, for the ingredients you use as much as you want of whatever, if you like lots of meat add more meat, if you like less vegetables add less vegetables. In my house we like it with a lot of turnips and cauliflower, some people like less.

(2) TIP for when I cook Paella type dishes using short-grain rice is this, ALWAYS be sure the rice is SUPER CLEAN remove all starch or it will be to mushy, ALWAYS use double the amount of water to rice, and for wetter version always use double the amount plus 1 cup, ALWAYS allow once liquid is boiling to boil UNCOVERED at medium low heat for atleast 20- 25 minutes, and cover removed from heat an additional 10 minutes to let the rice grains on top poof. This is the technique I use and learned from other people. Makes the best rice always.

(3) You will need a very large rice pan for this trust me... also you may need to rotate and reposition the pan over the flame since it is large and the heat sometimes concentrates on one part.

Moros y Cristianos (Rice Steamed in with Black Beans)

This is a very common Cuban dish. It could possibly be considered the national dish of Cuba. It is not to be confused with "Congri" which uses red beans.

This dish like many Cuban dishes originates from Spain, has strong spanish roots and is symbolic. "Moros" refers to "Moors" which are people from Morroco, Africa. "Christianos" means Christians. This dish signifies the the victory of the Christians over the Moors. The black beans represent the Moors and the White Rice the Christians. (I know kinda racist but hey it's a true story)


Ingredients:
1 Cup black beans
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 or ½ Spanish onion minced
1 or ½ green or red bell pepper (preferably green because I like savory)
4 cloves garlic crushed and minced
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for sautéing
1 whole bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespooon salt

Directions:
(1)Wash beans well and boil in water enough to have enough liquid to cook rice later. Approximately 5 cups water or more. Bring to a boil and simmer covered or about 1 hour no more. (Don't cook the beans to a moosh or it will RUIN the dish it will make it to starchy so don't even soak beans over night) turn of.


(2)Put rice on a strainer and sift it to get rid of any small pieces then wash well.


(3)Put 2 rice cups in the rice cooker and add 3 cups of black bean broth and then drain the rest of the beans and add.

(4)Sautee onion and bell pepper until translucent and fragrant in olive oil then add garlic and sautee until garlic is fragrant and golden. Add to the rice and bean mixture. Season with salt, add cumin and bay leaf.




5)Cover and turn on rice cooker


(6)This can be done on stove top to if you know the basics of making rice on stove top.



I ate it with "Bistec Encebebollado" and "Yucca Con Mojo"