DC: Rice with Cod, Artichoke and Mushroom

This month's challenge was Rice with Cuttlefish, Artichoke and Mushroom from Olga of Las Cosas de Olga and Olga's Recipes. The recipe is a Spanish dish by Jose Andres. Olga's version of the recipe looked smiply fabulous, but I feel like mine definitely did not add up!! I tried, but oh well. I was a little rushed, and honestly not really into it, but I had to make it then or else I wouldn't get around to it in time!! I didn't feel like looking for cuttlefish or cooking squid, so I went with Cod. Nice firm fleshy fish. I used canned artichokes, sushi rice, and a mixture of white button and shiitake mushrooms. I also bought some steak on impulse at the grocery store b/c it was like half off or something, but that means I had to cook it that day for fear of spoilage. Yumm. Cod and Rice and Artichokes and STEAK!

Overall it was really good. I think if I'd spent more time on it, put a little more love in it, it would have tasted better. It didn't taste bad, for sure. Don't get me wrong. I liked it, the BF loved it, but I thought it could have been better. I would definitely consider trying it again, and I would definitely recommend it to a friend!! Don't forget to check out the other Daring Cooks' creations, as well as my kitchen cohort Diana of Thyme to Lime.

Rice with Cod, Artichoke and Mushroom

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Equipment:

• 1 Chopping Board
• 1 knife
• 1 medium saucepan
• 1 Paella pan (30 cm/11” is enough for 4 people. If not available, you may use a simple pan that size)
• 1 Saucepan

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 Artichokes (you can use jarred or freezed if fresh are not available)
• 12 Mushrooms (button or Portobello)
• 1 or 2 Bay leaves (optional but highly recommended)
• 1 glass of white wine
• 2 Cuttlefish (you can use freezed cuttlefish or squid if you don’t find it fresh)
• “Sofregit” (see recipe below)
• 300 gr (2 cups) Short grain rice (Spanish types Calasparra or Montsant are preferred, but you can choose any other short grain. This kind of rice absorbs flavor very well) – about 75 gr per person ( ½ cup per person) Please read this for more info on suitable rices.
• Water or Fish Stock (use 1 ½ cup of liquid per ½ cup of rice)
• Saffron threads (if you can’t find it or afford to buy it, you can substitute it for turmeric or yellow coloring powder)
• Allioli (olive oil and garlic sauce, similar to mayonnaise sauce) - optional

• Directions:
  

  1. Cut the cuttlefish in little strips.
  2. Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and put the cuttlefish in the pan.
  3. If you use fresh artichokes, clean them as shown in the video in tip #7. Cut artichokes in eights.
  4. Clean the mushrooms and cut them in fourths.
  5. Add a bay leaf to the cuttlefish and add also the artichokes and the mushrooms.
  6. Sauté until we get a golden color in the artichokes.
  7. Put a touch of white wine so all the solids in the bottom of the get mixed, getting a more flavorful dish.
  8. Add a couple or three tablespoons of sofregit and mix to make sure everything gets impregnated with the sofregit.
  9. Add all the liquid and bring it to boil.
  10. Add all the rice. Let boil for about 5 minutes in heavy heat.
  11. Add some saffron thread to enrich the dish with its flavor and color. Stir a little bit so the rice and the other ingredients get the entire flavor. If you’re using turmeric or yellow coloring, use only 1/4 teaspoon.
  12. Turn to low heat and boil for another 8 minutes (or until rice is a little softer than “al dente”)
  13. Put the pan away from heat and let the rice stand a couple of minutes.
  Sofregeit

  Cooking time: aprox. 1 hour
  Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 5 big red ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 small onions, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
  • 4 or 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 cup of button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped (optional)
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • Salt
  • Touch of ground cumin
  • Touch of dried oregano

  Directions:

  1. Put all the ingredients together in a frying pan and sauté slowly until all vegetables are soft.
  2. Taste and salt if necessary (maybe it’s not!)