Arroz a la Valenciana with Garlic Poblano Allioli

Mymy Suajico – Santiago 蔡马安

Arroz a la Valenciana or Paella Valenciana, is a rice dish which hailed from Valencia, Spain. It has been savored by diners since the 1850s. This particular paella preparation has branched out extensively  and has traveled the world. Versions abound in Portugal in Europe, to the South in Chile & Nicaragua, in Central and South America, and in the Asian Philippines.

This dish takes me back to my maternal family ties (Mercurio-Britanico) in the Philippines where this Valencian Paella is never absent on our feast table. Always prepared by my Aunt, It was so good & comforting that each of us just had to take a portion home. 

This is my interpretation of the dish; fusing the old traditional Spanish way with the Asian notes of what brings me home.

Clockwise: Tomato, Onions, Green Peas, Saffron Threads, Green & Yellow Peppers, Garlic & Olives

L to R: Chorizo Picante, Bacon, Liver & Chicken Thighs

Ingredients: Arroz a la Valenciana

4 cups                Valencian rice (Pearl Rice, Sticky Rice or Jasmine)

4 pcs                  chicken thighs ,marinated in salt & Pepper, Browned

1 pack                Smoked turkey bacon, fried & cut (pork strips will do)

1/2 kilo               chicken liver, salt-peppered & half cooked in pan

1 portion             Spanish Chorizo Picante (or any sausage of preference)

1/2 cup               green peas

2 pcs                  bell peppers (red and green), cut into thin strips

2 small                tomato, chopped

1/2 can               tomato paste

1 large                onion, chopped

6 cloves              garlic, minced

½ cup                 Manzanilla Green Olives

1 tbsp                 Saffron threads

1 cup                  Coconut Milk

½ cup                 dry red wine (white, if preferred)

3 cups                clam juice (or chicken stock)

For Sautéing       Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For Garnish         2 hardboiled eggs, sliced to crecents
                         Cilantro, roughly chopped

Notes: No additional salt or pepper was added to flavor the dish, note that the meat incorporated were already pre-seasoned. The olives and clam juice are salty as well and the picante chorizos spicy enough to zest. Otherwise, flavor your Paella Valenciana to taste.

This recipe likewise is served alongside Garlic Pablano Allioli which covers the salt & spice element of the Paella.
Ingredients: Garlic Poblano Allioli
4 cloves              Garlic
2 pcs.                 Poblano Peppers
1 portion             Cilantro
½ Cup                Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To Taste              Salt
Procedure: Garlic Poblano Allioli
Drop all the ingredients in a food processor and chopped mix, keep in refrigerator

Procedure: Arroz a la Valenciana
Pour EVOO in a Paella Pan. Sautee/ fry turkey bacon & chorizo picante to extract fat. Remove fried bacon and chorizo, set aside.
Heat the oil & fat mix and drop in, Onions, Garlic, Green Peas, Tomato (in the given order), slow sautee for 10 minutes to a sofrito
Pour in 4 cups of Valencian Rice, fold in the sofrito to blend
Mix Chicken thighs, liver, bacon and Chorizo in, increase to low medium heat
Stir in wine, tomato paste, coconut milk and 2 cups of clam juice
Sprinkle saffron threads, olives & bell Peppers –Stir to mix and coat the ingredients
Cook on low until the rice soaks & softens, as the liquid reduces add remaining cup of clam stock when needed
Cover the Pan and Simmer until liquid is absorbed

Arrange Egg Crescents and garnish with Cilantro
Bake in oven for 10 minutes, remove.
allow to sit for at least 5 minutes & glaze with Allioli
savor with a good Shiraz...

Sabroso… Buena Comida!