At first I was not thrilled about making this recipe. I don't like seafood that much, am picky about mushrooms and artichokes. BUT, after reading through some of the modifications I could make I decided to press on.
This recipe has several steps and took a couple hours to complete, but you could apparently break them up and not end up like I did, standing in the kitchen for hours.
I started with the Allioli a la moderna because I did not have a mortar and pestle. The ingredients all seemed "normal" though I was a bit nervous that my fellow Daring Cooks kept calling it a mayonnaise type emulsification. I don't like mayo.
It came together perfectly...looked exactly like it should...but taste...well, it IS similar to mayo. But I pressed on hoping that with the rest of the dish it would be fine. You know, much like potato salad...you don't really notice the mayo right?!
The next step was to make the Sofregit. Chopping veggies is fun right?! They sure were pretty before I started.
Once the party started in the pan I was getting excited. It smelled great and seemed to be cooking down as it was supposed too. I loved using the bay leaf. It reminded me growing up and being at one of my best girlfriend's house. Her grandmother would make homemade spagehetti sauce...always with a bay leaf...which I, as the guest for dinner, was always allowed (honored?!) to remove. I sometimes wonder if exposure to these kinds of women and experiences influenced my love for cooking.
After an hour of simmering away on the stovetop....it looked like this...and smelled divine. 
Finally I was ready to being the actual recipe. Here's where I generously altered the orignial recipe and got a bit creative. I really try to only cook with ingredients that I can find at the "normal" grocery store, which for me is Safeway. My local Safeway didn't have cuttlefish...I'm told it's divine...but I wasn't going to trek all over town to find it. SO....after a phone call to my wonderful friend who is culinarily trained (a real pro!), I decided to go with Basa Fish (Why does that sound like the phone a friend lifeline on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"). He also recommended shark, but I wasn't feeling quite that adventurous nor do I think my fish guy had that available the night I shopped.
I also am not a big fan of artichokes and really was not in the mood to clean 4 of them...I opted for asparagus because it was in season and suggested by one of my Daring Cook cohorts.
SO...everything into the pan. I looked really good...seemed to be coming together perfectly. No step was too hard or too frantic. 
After adding all the liquids...it was a boiling cauldron of dinner...
(As a side note, I used Gnarly Head Pinot Grigio. I was SO excited to use a wine from Manteca...HOME!...but was SO disappointed when I tasted it. Let's just say that it was NOT a wine I'd buy again. I'm sure some people will love it but it was not one that I enjoyed. In fact, it was so not enjoyable (I hesitate to call it bad) that it ended up down the sink. Again, super disappointed. Their Old Vine Zin is really good...if that's any consolation.)
After simmering and cooking for the alloted time, the dish was done! It seemed to look just like it was supposed too according to the other photos I'd seen from my fellow Daring Cooks. I was a bit nervous about trying it. SO...I took a few glamour shots (are you ready for your close up!?) and then dove in...with a small bite.
What did I think? Ick...I didn't like it. At first I thought it was just the Allioli a la moderna I didn't like because as I mentioned...mayo-like. SO, I tried another bite, without the Allioli....still not that great. What went wrong? Likely nothing. It was edible, but since I didn't care for the fish (just my tastebuds...it had a great texture), it ended up in the trash. It truly seemed such a waste of food, but I knew I wouldn't eat it. I must say...next time I may try it with chicken...I like chicken. The time was not wasted though...I truly enjoyed trying the new recipe and working with ingredients I'd not tried before. I must say...those saffron threads are pretty cool.
If you try this one....let me know what you think. Who knows...maybe I have defective tastebuds...or my alterations went haywire.
The (Original) Recipe
Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish and Artichokes
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
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)
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
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.
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.
Sofregit
Cooking time: aprox. 1 hour
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
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!)
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!)
Allioli (Traditional recipe)
Cooking time: 20 min aprox.
Cooking time: 20 min aprox.
Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves, peeled
Pinch of salt
Fresh lemon juice (some drops)
Extra-virgin olive oil (Spanish preferred but not essential)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
Pinch of salt
Fresh lemon juice (some drops)
Extra-virgin olive oil (Spanish preferred but not essential)
Directions:
1. Place the garlic in a mortar along with the salt.
2. Using a pestle, smash the garlic cloves to a smooth paste. (The salt stops the garlic from slipping at the bottom of the mortar as you pound it down.)
3. Add the lemon juice to the garlic.
4. Drop by drop; pour the olive oil into the mortar slowly as you continue to crush the paste with your pestle.
5. Keep turning your pestle in a slow, continuous circular motion in the mortar. The drip needs to be slow and steady. Make sure the paste soaks up the olive oil as you go.
6. Keep adding the oil, drop by drop, until you have the consistency of a very thick mayonnaise. If your allioli gets too dense, add water to thin it out. This takes time—around 20 minutes of slow motion around the mortar—to create a dense, rich sauce.
1. Place the garlic in a mortar along with the salt.
2. Using a pestle, smash the garlic cloves to a smooth paste. (The salt stops the garlic from slipping at the bottom of the mortar as you pound it down.)
3. Add the lemon juice to the garlic.
4. Drop by drop; pour the olive oil into the mortar slowly as you continue to crush the paste with your pestle.
5. Keep turning your pestle in a slow, continuous circular motion in the mortar. The drip needs to be slow and steady. Make sure the paste soaks up the olive oil as you go.
6. Keep adding the oil, drop by drop, until you have the consistency of a very thick mayonnaise. If your allioli gets too dense, add water to thin it out. This takes time—around 20 minutes of slow motion around the mortar—to create a dense, rich sauce.
José's tips for traditional recipe:
It's hard to think that, when you start crushing the garlic, it will ever turn into something as dense and smooth as allioli. But don't give up. It's worth the extra time and effort to see the oil and garlic come together before your eyes. Just make sure you're adding the olive oil slowly, drop by drop. Keep moving the pestle around the mortar in a circular motion and keep dreaming of the thick, creamy sauce at the end of it all.
Allioli a la moderna (Modern recipe)
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes
Cooking time: 3-4 minutes
Ingredients:
1 small egg
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (as above, Spanish oil is highly recommended)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 Tbs. Spanish Sherry vinegar or lemon juice (if Sherry vinegar is not available, use can use cider or white vinegar)
Salt to taste
1 small egg
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (as above, Spanish oil is highly recommended)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 Tbs. Spanish Sherry vinegar or lemon juice (if Sherry vinegar is not available, use can use cider or white vinegar)
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Break the egg into a mixing bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic cloves, along with the vinegar or lemon juice.
3. Using a hand blender, start mixing at high speed until the garlic is fully pureed into a loose paste.
4. Little by little, add what's left of the olive oil as you continue blending.
5. If the mixture appears too thick as you begin pouring the oil, add 1 teaspoon of water to loosen the sauce.
6. Continue adding the oil and blending until you have a rich, creamy allioli.
7. The sauce will be a lovely yellow color.
8. Add salt to taste.
1. Break the egg into a mixing bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic cloves, along with the vinegar or lemon juice.
3. Using a hand blender, start mixing at high speed until the garlic is fully pureed into a loose paste.
4. Little by little, add what's left of the olive oil as you continue blending.
5. If the mixture appears too thick as you begin pouring the oil, add 1 teaspoon of water to loosen the sauce.
6. Continue adding the oil and blending until you have a rich, creamy allioli.
7. The sauce will be a lovely yellow color.
8. Add salt to taste.
José's tips for modern recipe:
1. If you do not have access to a hand blender, you can use a hand mixer (the kind with the two beaters) or a food processor. If you use a food processor, you must double the recipe or the amount will be too little for the blades to catch and emulsify.
2. What happens if the oil and egg separate? Don't throw it out. You can do two things. One is to whisk it and use it as a side sauce for a fish or vegetable. But if you want to rescue the allioli, take 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water in another beaker and start adding to the mix little by little. Blend it again until you create the creamy sauce you wanted.
Olga’s Tips For Complete Recipe:
1. In Spain, rice is not stirred as often as it is when cooking Italian risotto. You
must stir it once or twice maximum. This tip is valid for all Spanish rice dishes
like paella, arròs negre, arròs a banda.
must stir it once or twice maximum. This tip is valid for all Spanish rice dishes
like paella, arròs negre, arròs a banda.
2. When cooking the alternative style you can change the cuttlefish or squid for
diced potato.
diced potato.
3. If you can’t find cuttlefish or squid, or you’re not able to eat them because of
allergies, you can try to substitute them for chicken or vegetables at your choice.
allergies, you can try to substitute them for chicken or vegetables at your choice.
4. Sofregit can be done in advance. You can keep it in the fridge or even freeze it.
5. For more information on how to clean and remove the heart of artichokes,
please watch this video
please watch this video
6. To watch how Jose Andres cooks this dish click here.
7. To tone down the taste when you do it by hand in a mortar, then add an egg
yolk. If you want to tone it down in the alternative way use milk or soy milk.
Anyway, the best alternative way is the original oil and garlic alone.
yolk. If you want to tone it down in the alternative way use milk or soy milk.
Anyway, the best alternative way is the original oil and garlic alone.
8. Allioli must be consumed during the preparation day and preserved in the fridge before using it.
Enjoy with Love,
Christina
Well you can't like everything. Basa fish that is a good choice. I love how you changed the artichokes to asparagus I think it is always better to chose what is local and what you like. And your allioli looks perfect and you made so much of it. And I especially like your attitude in spite of throwing it out you realise that you learnt a lot of new skills and a least tried somemthing new. Bravo on all these fronts. Cheers from Audax and yes that is a great money shot.
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