Arroz al Horno, or baked rice, is one of those proper comfort meals from the Valencian Community.
It is warm, golden on top, and packed with flavour.
Locals used to call it arròs passejat, which means “walked rice,” because people would prep the dish at home in a clay pot, then carry it down the street to the bakery to finish it off in the oven.
The dish is a party of cured meats, pork ribs or bacon, chickpeas soaked overnight, garden tomatoes, garlic, potatoes and rice.
To get started, whack the oven up to 250°C and let it heat for about ten minutes. While that’s going on, sauté a clove of garlic with some tomato and those chickpeas you remembered to soak the night before. In another pan, fry up the bacon and ribs. Set all that aside with the garlic once it’s looking nicely browned.
Now grab a flat clay pot, or whatever ovenproof dish you’ve got that’s wide enough. Spread the sautéed tomato and chickpeas in the bottom, then add about 80 grams of uncooked rice per person, no need to be exact. Pour in hot broth using a 2-to-1 ratio, twice as much broth as rice.
Give it a gentle mix, then lay the ribs, bacon, some tomato slices, a few thin potato rounds, and the garlic right on top. Sprinkle over some salt. Pop the dish in the oven and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes, until all the liquid’s gone and the top has gone golden and just a little bit crisp.
Each bite has loads of flavour, a bit of crunch on top, and that lovely mix of rice, veg, and meaty goodness underneath. Serve it up straight from the dish, no garnish needed, just a big spoon!
