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Recipe · 4 min read

Arroz y Verduras con Bacalao

Arroz Huertano de Verduras (Murcia)

Seco · dry Cooked in Paella Región de Murcia

01Geographic & Texture Profile

  • Primary Geographic Zone: La Huerta de Murcia.
  • Liquid & Texture Profile: Seco (dry). 400 g of rice in about 2 L of water, cooked in the paella for 15 min and rested. My classification is seco, though this much water may finish closer to meloso.
  • Traditional Cooking Vessel & Fuel: A paella on the stove.

02Historical & Cultural Context

A huerta vegetable rice with a characteristic Murcian touch: salt cod that is toasted on the griddle (asado a la plancha hasta tostarlo) and shredded, not soaked into the base. Artichoke, cauliflower, broad beans, green beans, young garlic, mushrooms, potato and red pepper are each fried separately in the paella and set aside, so every vegetable keeps its own texture and colour. The recipe comes from the Ayuntamiento de Murcia and Federación de Peñas Huertanas cookbook Un paseo por la huerta. It sits between the everyday arroz huertano and the Lenten cod rices.

Culinary science: toasting dried salt cod caramelises its surface proteins, adding a smoky, savoury note the rice absorbs. The cod goes in for just the last 5 minutes so it doesn't toughen.

03Local Town-by-Town Variations

04The Master Recipe (4-Person Batch Blueprint)

Variant represented: Peñas Huertanas (published quantities).

The Flavor Base (El Fondo)

Ingredient Quantity
Fresh artichokes (hearts, in lemon water) ½ kg
Cauliflower 300 g
Broad beans, shelled 150 g
Green beans 150 g
Ajos tiernos 1 bunch
Mushrooms 100 g
Potato 1
Red pepper ½
Ripe tomatoes, grated 2
Pimentón 1 tbsp
Salt cod (dry), toasted & shredded 100 g
Saffron threads, olive oil, salt to taste
Water 2 L

Assembly Ratios

Element Quantity
Rice 400 g
Water 2 L

Step-by-Step Cooking Blueprint

  1. Prep: Cut all the vegetables small and keep the artichoke hearts in lemon water. Toast the cod on a griddle and shred it.
  2. Fry: Fry each vegetable separately in the paella and set aside. Fry the tomato with the vegetables.
  3. Paprika: Add the pimentón, stirring so it doesn't burn, then the water.
  4. Boil: 4–5 min, then add the rice, saffron and salt.
  5. Rice: Cook 15 min. Add the shredded cod at min 10.
  6. Rest: A few minutes.

Lent & vigil rices: Meatless rices of Cuaresma and fast days: legumes, greens and salt cod.

Huerta & artichoke rices: Irrigated-garden vegetables: artichoke, broad beans, chard and peppers lead the dish.