Arroz Calasparra a la Murciana

 

MURCIA, located in southeastern Spain, north of Almería, and south of Alicante, on the Mediterranean Sea is the home of Calasparra Short Grain Rice, and its excellence of the trinity of three climates; The Mediterranean Coast and groves full of fresh fruit, the Alti-plano high hill country to the west and in the north, Jumilla and Yecla, wine country.

 

Murcia possesses both a Roman history and a Cartigentian culture. With this in mind, numerous crops had been brought to the lands of Murcia.

 

 

 

This recipe is called:

 

 ARROZ A LA MURCIANA CON CERDO ... MURICIAN SHORT GRAIN RICE WITH PORK ...

 

Murcian Calasparra or Valencian Short Grain Arborio can be used.

 

RECIPE:

 

350 grams of Calasparra or Valencian short grain rice

300 grams of lion of pork chopped into chunks

3 red bell peppers

2 slightly over-ripe juicy red tomates, de-seeded and peeled

1 whole garlic 

1/2 Litre water

15 threads of saffron ( place in a mug with 115 farenheit degree water & let steep 20 mins.)

1 lemon

Olive Oil ( 1/4 - 1/2 small cup)

salt and freshly blk. pepper ground

1/2 tsp. La Vera Smoked Paprika Sweet Type

Salt to taste, a pinch of sugar, freshly ground pepper, and herbs of choice fresh or dry

 

 

1) Have Butcher slice the pork into 1 1/2 inch chunks

2) In a Paellera ( paella pan ), pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil and sauté the pork chunks until golden and then, reserve the pork chunks on a platter covered

3) Now, slice in Julienne strips the red bell and sauté until tender and golden

4) Place 1/2 head of the whole garlic in the paellera and sauté

5) Now, sauté the tomatoes chopped finely with a tiny pinch of sugar

6) Incorporate the Rice and add the water & the water with the Saffron steeped; simmer on fuego lento; low fire or flame.

7) Put back the reserved pork chunks in this mixture and simmer the pork until both the prok and the rice are tender on very low flame and adjust the spices, salt and blk. pepper.

8) When finished, drizzle the lemon juice from 1 fresh lemon

9) SERVE WITH BAGUETTE, A LOVELY WHITE OR ROSÉ SPARKLING WINE or A Merlot or abernet from Jumilla, Murcia.

 

*** RECIPE FROM:  Biblioteca MURCIA NUESTRA COCINA, METROPOLI - EL MUNDO - España; The Library of Murcia´s Our Cooking; Metropoli, El Mundo Newspaper - Spain.

 

Enjoy,

Marge.