Arroz a Banda

Ingredients

• 400 gbomba rice
• 800 grockfish and monkfish — for the broth
• 1onion — halved
• 2ripe tomatoes — grated
• 2ñora peppers — soaked and scraped
• 1 pinchsaffron threads
• 1 tbspsweet pimentón
• 1.2 Lfish broth — strained and hot
• 100 mlextra virgin olive oil
• alioli — to serve
• to tastefine sea salt

Method

1. Heat 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed paella pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the 800 g of rockfish and monkfish pieces. Sear them until they develop a golden crust, about 3-4 minutes per side, which will infuse the oil with their rich flavor. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 finely chopped onion to the same pan. Cook the onion until it becomes translucent and soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Grate 2 ripe tomatoes directly into the pan, discarding the skins, and add them to the onion along with 1 tbsp of sweet pimentón. Cook this mixture down, stirring often, until it becomes dark, jammy, and sweet, which should take about 10-15 minutes.
3. While the sofrito is cooking, prepare the ñora peppers by removing their seeds and soaking them in warm water for about 10 minutes until they soften. Once softened, scrape the flesh from the skins and add it to the sofrito. Stir well to incorporate the ñora flesh into the mixture, enhancing the depth of flavor.
4. Add 1.2 L of hot fish broth to the pan, ensuring it deglazes any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom. Stir in a pinch of saffron threads, allowing them to bloom in the hot liquid, and taste the broth for salt, adjusting as necessary. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
5. Once the broth is boiling, scatter 400 g of bomba rice evenly across the pan. Do not stir the rice; instead, use a spoon to gently nudge it into an even layer. This ensures the grains cook uniformly and develop the desired texture. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and let the rice cook undisturbed.
6. As the rice cooks, you'll notice the liquid reducing and the rice grains becoming plump and tender. The rice is done when the liquid is absorbed, and the grains are tender but still hold their shape, with a slight bite in the center. This should take about 18-20 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and cover it with a clean cloth or kitchen towel. Let it sit for five minutes, allowing the residual heat to finish cooking the rice and set the socarrat, the prized crust at the bottom. Serve the Arroz a Banda straight from the pan, accompanied by alioli to taste.