Arroz Roja with langoustine recipe

As featured in episode two of Rick Stein’s Food Stories, this is Rick’s arroz roja recipe. Very much like a paella in its ingredients – except the seafood and rice only meet after cooking, rather than during. The stock is particularly important to take your time with – the rest of the dish is built on this flavour.

Ingredients for Rick’s Arroz Roja recipe

SERVES 4

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
• I small onion, chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 8 frozen raw langoustine, peeled, set aside, heads and shells reserved & roughly chopped
• 60ml white wine
• A sprig fresh tarragon
• 150g tomato, roughly chopped
• 1.5 litre of fish stock (or water if not available)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 400g short grain paella rice such as calasparra
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 250g ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp sweet pimenton
• A pinch of chilli flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 roasted red pepper, chopped into 1cm sized pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 300g haddock fillet skin on, cut into 4 pieces
• A small handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges to serve
• Aioli to serve

How to make Rick’s Arroz Roja recipe

1. Start by making a shellfish stock. In a large pan heat the olive oil and gently fry the onion, carrot and celery for a few minutes until softened. Add the roughly chopped langoustine heads and shells and fry for a couple of minutes, add the white wine, bring up to a boil cook for a minute then add the fish stock, (or water) tarragon, tomato and tomato paste. Cook for 40 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve over a large pan and push as much flavour as you can through the sieve. You will need 1 litre of finished stock for the 400g of rice, top up with a splash of water or more stock if under a litre.
   
2. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently for about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and fry for a minute without browning, then stir in the pimenton, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, chopped red pepper, chilli flakes, shellfish stock and the rice, and season with salt and pepper. Stir once, then bring up to a boil and simmer vigorously for about 6 minutes, then turn the heat down and cook for a further 12 minutes, until the stock is absorbed and the rice should be pitted with small holes.
   
3. A few minutes before the rice is cooked in a separate pan heat the remaining olive oil over a medium high heat, add the haddock skin side down and add the langoustine meat, turn over and cook for a few minutes until just cooked through. Divide between 4 bowls and top each with a piece of haddock and two langoustines. Garnish with aioli and chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon.

Happy cooking