Black Rice Paella

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Black Rice or Arros Negre is a Spanish dish similar to seafood paella but only in terms of preparation. The black color is obtained by using squid ink or cuttlefish ink. Mistakenly referred to as Black Paella, it is technically not a paella dish. Oftentimes, shrimps and crabs are added to the dish which is cooked in a seafood broth. 

For my version of Black Rice, I actually leaned more towards the paella dish and literally used organic black rice that I bought in the local market of Miagao. In Bacolod where I grew up, organic black rice is very expensive because the residents of Bacolod city are willing to pay for a much higher price especially since it is organic. In Miagao where rice is basically white rice, nobody gave a damn that there was this underpriced organic product and I for one am only too happy to take advantage of this treat. 

To prepare this dish, you need a lot of patience and suppress the urge to open the large wok during the last part of the preparation. This is to ensure that the rice is cooked perfectly while the meat stays moist and flavorful. I hope you give this dish a try. 

Black Rice Paella

6 cups organic black rice
2 lbs chicken, cut into eights
1 lb assorted sausages
48 pcs quail eggs, hard boiled and peeled
2 large red bell peppers, julienned
1 cup white onions, diced
32 oz canned diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 bay leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp ground coriander
4 tbsp olive oil
1 10-oz frozen peas
1 cup black olives
lemon wedges
parsley leaves

1. Wash the rice in water and drain. Set aside.

2. In a large wok, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the 
    sausages until browned. set aside. 

3. In the same wok, saute the garlic, onions and bay leaf. Season with salt 
    and pepper and cook until softened. 

4. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken
    on both sides. Add the paprika, oregano, thyme, and coriander. 

5. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 
    the broth and season with the mustard. Return to a boil and cook for 10 
    minutes covered. 

6. Add the rice and pour in the diced tomatoes. Check for seasoning and 
    adjust accordingly. Lower the heat to medium low and cook uncovered 
    until almost all the liquid has evaporated. 

7. Stir in the frozen peas, black olives and red bell peppers. Slice the sausages 
    into wedges and arrange on top of the rice with the quail eggs. 

8. Lower the heat to its lowest setting and cook covered until the rice has 
    cooked perfectly. Garnish with the chopped parsley leaves and the lemon 
    wedges. Drizzle with more olive oil if desired.