ELIZABETH DAVID’S CATALAN RICE (for six to eight)
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“When (English author Elizabeth David) began writing (about food) in the 1950s, the British scarcely noticed what was on their plates at all, which was perhaps just as well. Her books and articles (on Mediterranean cooking) persuaded her readers that food was one of life’s great pleasures, and that cooking should not be a drudgery but an exciting and creative act. In doing so she inspired a whole generation not only to cook, but to think about food in an entirely different way.” Artemis Cooper, The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
This recipe appeared in a 1972 Gourmet Magazine article written by James Beard. He points out that the recipe – a version of paella – originated in Spain’s Costa Brava, not far from Barcelona. “It is not a true paella,” he notes, “but it is quite good.” He writes that when Mediterranean Cooking, David’s first cookbook, came out in 1950, it “must have been a revelation to the British …. she “was a leader, ahead of her time, and it is largely due to her influence that the current generation of British cooks is more adventurous and the stores carry foods and cooking utensils that were not around before.”
2 to 2-1/2 cups commercial or homemade fish stock (white fish preferred), clam stock (bottled clam juice can be substituted) or chicken broth
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
¼ cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons lard
½ pound chorizo, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
1-1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, slice thin
2 large green bell peppers, cut into thin strips
2 large tomatoes (about 1-1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded and chopped
3 large squid, cleaned, the body sacs cut into rings, and the tentacles halved
2 cups long grain rice
¾ cup blanched whole almonds
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (9 ounces) thawed frozen artichoke hearts or 1 cup drained canned
18 small clams or mussels, scrubbed well
½ cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
¼ cup pimientos, cut into julienne strips
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1.In a small saucepan bring the stock to a bare simmer. In a mortar with a pestle crush the saffron and in a small bowl combine with the wine.
2. In a flameproof casserole or paella pan heat the lard over moderately high heat until it is jot but not smoking and in it saute the chorizo and the pork, turning them, until they are browned. Add the onion, the bell peppers, the tomatoes and the squid and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the rice and cook the mixture stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the almonds, the pine nuts, the garlic, the saffron mixture and the artichoke hearts and ladle in enough of the stock, heated, to just cover the rice mixture. Bring the rice mixture to a boil and simmer it, covered, for 20 minutes.
4. Arrange the clams in the rice, add the peas and simmer the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice is just tender. (Discard any unopened clams.) Garnish the rice with the pimientos and the parsley.
from Gourmet Magazine, originally printed in 1972, reprinted in January, 1991