Angela's Arroz

This dish is what I call Latino comfort food and I ate this more than anything else when I was growing up. Well okay, my mother didn’t use Spanish calasparra rice or fresh fish. She used Australian long grain rice and tinned tuna, but I guess she had more mouths to feed than I do and it was cheap that way. Actually tinned tuna is delicious stirred through this rice at the last minute, so don’t hesitate to do that if you are down on time and cash. Feel free to substitute beans or chickpeas for the fish too, they work just as well
I love this peasant-style dish. This just goes to show that food doesn’t have to be posh to be fabulous.

Ingredients
1 onion (red or brown), finely chopped
1 celery stalk (optional), finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp dried greek oregano
About 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
A pinch chili flakes
1 tsp Spanish paprika (not smoked)
200g calasparra rice (buy from Spanish delis)
75ml rose wine
30g tomato paste
Fish stock (I used Spanish fish stock cubes and water)
200g fish fillets (any type)
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Freshly chopped parsley
Thyme sprigs, to garnish

Method
Begin with the sofrito-that is gently cook the onion, celery, garlic and herbs in the olive oil very gently for about 30 minutes, or until beginning to caramelize.
In the meantime, poach the fish in the stock. Remove the fish to a plate and reserve the stock.
When the fish is cool enough to handle, break it into small chunks.
Add the chili and paprika to the onion mixture. Stir well. Bring the heat to medium and throw in the rice. Toss the rice in the pan for a minute or so. Splash in the wine and tomato paste, then allow to evaporate.
Now I begin to add the stock bit by bit, just as you would for risotto. My mother never did this, she added all the liquid at once and cooked it by absorption. I prefer my method only because I have become so accustomed to cooking risotto and because I have a crazy obsession with perfectly cooked rice. Please yourself. When the rice is cooked al dente, stir in the fish and parsley.
Add salt and pepper, if you haven’t already done so. If you have gone the tinned tuna route, adding a garnish of thyme will prevent you feeling like a pauper. Either way, I always add a touch of glamour.
Serves 2.

Dulce de Leche

Dulce de Leche is a Latin American sweet spread. It is basically caramelized milk, cooked until thick and sticky. This divinely sweet treat has many uses. The most common way, is to have it on buttered toast for breakfast, with a cup of café con leche (milky coffee). Pastry cooks also like to use it in cakes and pastries. My grandmother uses it to fill crepes. She used to also make ice cream with it. I just like to have it around so I can attack it with a spoon and stuff it straight into my mouth, whenever I need sweetness and comfort.
A commercial product is available from South Amreican delis, but in my opinion is not as good, and it is better to make your own. Some people prefer, for convinience to boil unopened cans of condensed milk until it turns into a product which is similar. Why? I ask. It does not cost much less or take less time than the traditional method, so why bother? All that is involved in the traditional way, is to simmer milk and sugar, until the right consistency has been reached. It is not rocket science, and far safer than boiling unopened cans. I have heard freakish horror stories of hot caramel explosions in peoples kitchens. There is nothing glamorous or convenient about scrapping caramel from the kitchen ceiling and curtains. And I guess you would not be needing that laser peel anymore, after the hot caramel has burnt your face off!
Call me old fashioned, but I am sticking to tradition here.


Ingredients
1 litre of milk (I use goats milk, but cow is fine)
300g sugar
1 scant tsp of baking soda
1 fresh vanilla bean

Method
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and baking soda.
Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to the lowest setting.
Cook very, very gently for about 2 hours, stirring every now and then. You can lay a wooden spoon across the saucepan to prevent the mix from spilling over.
It is ready when it is thick and brown, like caramel fudge. Remove from the heat.
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the “dulce”.
It will keep indefinitely in the fridge. I like to store mine in a sterilized jar, but a plastic container will do just as well. Makes about 1 cup.