Easy Saffron Rice with Cod

I like to suggest this seafood rice dish as an anchor item for a tapas party. It might not be the type of item that is front of mind when you think tapas, but it provides a heartier item to fortify your tapas party if it is going to be your evening meal. With that being said, small portions of soups or rice dishes are not unheard of in authentic tapas bars.

Arroz Empedrado is a rice dish from the Valencia region of Spain. What I love about it is it’s simplicity. It’s ingredients may vary slightly, but most recipes I find contain only a few ingredients and seasonings along with rice, white beans, and salted cod. I make it with fresh cod too, which may be less authentic, but is probably a forgivable sin. Especially because salt cod isn’t always readily available in all areas. Additionally, fresh cod lends a greater degree of ease to preparation due to the need to soak salt cod overnight.

Ideally it is made with Calasparra rice, but I have found arborio to be a satisfactory substitute. The Bomba variety of rice which is grown in Calasparra Spain is the authentic variety of rice used for paella and other rice dishes in Spain. The reason for this is it is able to absorb much more liquid than other rices. It can absorb three times its volume in water verus other rices which absorb about twice their volume. This quality helps ensure that your rice is not overcooked. This is important because when preparing paella, the quantity of liquid in your dish is an x factor, contingent on the amount of liquid in the various ingredients. You can use other rice if that is what you have available, you will just give up a certain level of authenticity. This dish does not contain the quantity of seafood items like a paella, so the liquid is less of a mystery. We are going to use a little more than 2 cups liquid to 1 cup rice.

I have a nice carbon steel paellera that I use to prepare this dish, but a good cast iron pan works just as well. Does it matter, yes. But, if you do not have this type of pan you can substitute with any heavy bottomed pan that you have. If the pan is not heavy bottomed the rice will burn, therefore you will be unable to cook the dish entirely on your range top. No worries though, after your saute’ed ingredients and liquid come to a simmer, just move your pan to the oven to finish cooking. In the restaurant we made large batches of rice dishes in roasting pans, and finished them in the oven like a standard rice pilaf recipe, and I think the result was just as authentic.

Print Recipe

Easy Saffron Rice with Cod

Courses: appetizers, main dishes

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 25 mins Rest Time 10 mins Total Time 55 mins

Servings: 8

All ingredients

Servings

• 1 cup dried white beans (or 1 can white beans)
• 4 cup vegetable broth
• 8 clove garlic
• ¹⁄₄ tsp saffron threads
• ¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
• 1 cup tomato, diced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3 cup Bomba rice
• 1 tsp salt and pepper
• 1 lb salt cod (bacalao) (or 1 pound fresh cod, cut into 4 fillets)

Instructions

1. Prepare the salt cod:

   Place salt cod into a 1 quart container.

   Cover with cold water and refrigerate.

   Replace water every 6 to 8 hours.

   Repeat at least 2 times.

   The more often you replace the water, the less salty the cod will be.

   After soaking for 24 hours discard water and flake cod into chunks.

   Hold in refrigerator until ready for service.

2. Prepare the beans:

   Soak white beans overnight in enough water that they remain immersed as it is absorbed.

   Place beans and soaking liquid in a saucepan, add 4 cloves of garlic and saffron thread.

   Bring to simmer on low heat and cook until tender. 

   When cool, drain liquid from beans and combine with enough vegetable stock to make 7 cups. Reserve for later use.

   No time for dried beans, substitute 1 can of white beans, and add the garlic and saffron at a later step.

3. Heat an 18 inch paellera, cast iron skillet, or heavy bottomed saute' pan on medium heat.

   Add olive oil and 4 cloves of chopped garlic.  Stir and cook until fragrant. 

   Add diced tomato and saute' for several minutes.  Stir in paprika.

   Add 7 cups of vegetable broth or mixture of cooking liquid from beans.

   Bring to boil.

   If using canned white beans, add whole garlic cloves and saffron threads after adding cooking liquid.

4. Sprinkle rice into boiling liquid.

   Reduce to simmer and stir.

5. Scatter white beans over surface of rice.

   Arrange chunks of cod evenly over surface of rice.

   Carefully shake pan to settle cod into liquid.

   Continue cooking on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until rice is tender and has absorbed liquid.

   If you do not have a heavy bottomed pan move pan to a 350 degree oven after adding fish. Cook in oven for 20 to 25 minutes until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.

6. Cover pan with foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

   I like to rest the rice in a warm oven to maintain serving temperature.