Arroz a Banda

In our series of mediterranean recipes in accordance with the mediterranean diet we recommend trying this very easy Arroz a banda recipe: a delicious traditional and healthy seafood recipe from Valencia.

Arroz a Banda, locally known as Arròs a banda in Valencia, is is a dish of rice cooked in fish stock. It originated with the fishermen of Alicante, who sold off their best fish and kept the leftovers for stock, used to cook the rice.

Ingredients

• • 400 grams of absorbing rice (Moli de Pais rice recommended)
  •  1/2 kg of anglerfish
  • 1/4 kg of mackerel
  • 1/4 kg of horse mackerel
  • 1/4 kg of redfish
  • 1/4 kg of mantis shrimp
  • 150 grams of cabbage
  • 4 small potatoes
  • 2 hot peppers
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • Saffron
  • Salt ( Añana Mineral Salt recommended)
  • 100% Arbequina Olive Oil

Instructions

Lightly fry the hot peppers and chop up with the cloves of garlic.

Then start preparing the stock, by bringing water to a boil and adding the fish (anglerfish, mackerel, etc.) along with the saffron to give it colour.

Gently fry the rice separately and, in the same pot, add the fish stock that you have previously prepared.

Leave to cook until the stock has evaporated.

The original “arroz a banda” recipe did not include any other ingredients. However it may also be cooked
with fish, which can be served separately in order to give the dish a different touch. It is usually served with alioli.