Arroz Negro (Valencian Squid Rice)
Arroz negro or arròs negre ("black rice" in Spanish and Catalan respectively) is a Valencian dish of cuttlefish (or squid) and rice which is very similar to seafood paella. In fact, some call it paella negra (black paella in Spanish). Recipe source: “Arroz Negro (Valencian Squid Rice)”, Wikibooks Cookbook contributors, en.wikibooks.org, CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted). Photo: RecoveryMinded, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 495
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
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Step 1
Cut one onion and one bell pepper into quarters and place in a large pot with the rest of the broth ingredients.
Step 2
Boil for about 30 minutes. Occasionally press the ingredients against the bottom of the pot with a potato masher or ladle to squeeze out their flavors.
Step 3
Strain the broth and set aside. Discard the boiled seafood.
Step 4
Pour enough oil into a paellera to cover the bottom and heat over a medium flame.
Step 5
Add 1 teaspoon of salt to cubanelles and sauté until soft.
Step 6
Add squid and sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 7
Add garlic and sauté until brown (be careful not to burn).
Step 8
Add rice and braise until coated with oil.
Step 9
Add paprika and sauté for no more than 15 seconds then quickly add four cups of broth to prevent the paprika from burning.
Step 10
Add squid ink and mix well.
Step 11
Bring broth to a boil and then simmer for 2 minutes.
Step 12
Taste the broth and invite your dinner guests to do so as well. If it tastes bland, add 1 teaspoon of salt at a time until everybody approves.
Step 13
Add the rice.
Step 14
Begin tasting the rice after it's been simmering for about 20 minute and reduce the heat a bit. Make sure the rice doesn't get too soft. Check the rice again every 10 minutes and reduce the heat slightly after each taste. Your goal is to wind up with rice that has a slightly underdone center. The time it takes to reach this point can vary from 30 minutes to an hour depending on your cooking gear.
Step 15
Your paella is done once you've accomplished the following three things: 1) The rice should be slightly firm to the bite. Italians use the same approach when cooking pasta. They call this texture al dente, 2) The paella should be a little moist but not soupy, 3) You should have a bit of toasted rice on the bottom of the paellera. This is considered a delicacy throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
Step 16
Remove the paellera from the heat and cover it with a white towel (NOT ALUMINUM FOIL). Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
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