I had seafood rice for the first time only a few years ago, on the Costa Brava. I’m drawn to this type of food and its outward simplicity. One pot, bursting with flavour, goodness and tradition. It’s the culmination of a lifetime of the cook’s knowledge. The aroma is beguiling, the rice just waiting to be eaten, often without a thought to its complexity. When I ate that arroz caldoso in a perfect little restaurant by the twinkling sea, I was smitten. Cooking like this is all about building the flavours in layers. It’s a skill that’s acquired with practice. In the best hands, it can be powerful and transformative.
It’s a soupy rice, laden with alluringly deep flavours. I’m using frozen calamari rings that I cut into small pieces. I wanted to push the boat out so I added squid ink for gentle mystery. Don’t be afraid of it, good fishmongers should have it in sachets. If you can’t get it, don’t worry, make this dish anyway.
In my test, I added the squid at the end of the cooking time. That’s the rule with squid: cook it for a long time or a short time. It was a little bit chewy ... not ideal. This time I’m giving it longer, that should do the trick. If you don’t fancy squid, use small uncooked shelled prawns or a mixture of seafood, popped in five minutes before the end. But becoming a better cook is all about adventure.
This week, I want to make things as easy as possible. The chicken salad is as much about the vegetables as it is the bird. I pot roasted the chicken with the spuds. If you don’t want to roast a chicken, buy a good precooked one. Let it cool, but most importantly save the precious juices. Add 100ml more chicken stock into the juices and continue to make the dressing as directed. Piment d’Espelette is wonderful if you can get it, otherwise use smoked paprika.
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Finding ripe peaches can be a challenge, but cooking slightly underripe ones can prove worthwhile. Halloumi’s squeaky blandness previously left me unmoved, but in a friend’s house one evening I began to see its warm crunchy merits. Maybe I’m mellowing as I’m getting older.
Recipe: Arroz caldoso
Recipe: An impressive chicken salad
Recipe: Roasted peaches with olive oil and za’atar crusted halloumi
