Thinking about making rice without a sofrito base and still having it be delicious only requires four spices that almost everyone has at home.
Use saffron, cloves, black pepper, and ground cumin in balanced proportions to provide an extra aroma that enhances the flavor of the broth, but without overpowering it.
On this occasion, the chef prepares the rice with a veal chop and a very simple-to-make chicken broth.
In addition, the chef offers several essential tricks to achieve the flavor and aroma of his pork chop rice.
The first point to consider is the broth. For his pork chop rice, it's essential for the flavor, but its main characteristic is that it must be "elegant" and not "excessively powerful."
All it takes is something simple, using chicken carcasses, chicken wings, a little tomato, salt, olive oil, and water, to achieve a broth with a delicate flavor.
Unlike other rice dishes where broths can be too intense for a single spoonful, the chef aims for his rice to allow diners to enjoy a full portion without becoming saturated; this is how the experience becomes addictive.
Another trick is to add a "drizzle of oil" to the broth, which creates a "wonderful, delicious, loose socarrat."
As for the meat, the chef insists on caramelizing the chop well on the fat side, using just a few drops of oil to allow it to melt slowly. This is key to the final result.
This released fat becomes a key ingredient in giving the rice its final touch. Once cooked, the surface of the rice is brushed with it, ensuring that each grain is infused with the flavor and aroma of the chop.
Ingredients for the pork chop rice
Bomba rice, 320 g
Veal chop, 1 unit
Fine salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Olive oil, for greasing
Sprig of rosemary
For the broth
Chicken carcasses, 400 g
Chicken wings, 400 g
Tomatoes, 200 g
Salt, 8 g
Olive oil, 20 ml (plus a little extra for the socarrat)
Water, 2 liters
For the spice mix
Black peppercorns, 4 g
Cloves, 2 units
Ground cumin, 2 g
Saffron, 0.2 g
Step 1
In a large pot, place the chicken carcasses, chicken wings, and tomato pieces. Cover with water, add salt to taste, and about 20 ml of olive oil.
Step 2
Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Add another splash of oil to promote the formation of a loose and flavorful socarrat.
Step 3
In a mortar and pestle, add the black peppercorns, cloves, ground cumin, and saffron threads and pound them until they are a powder.
Step 4
Grill the pork chop until well marked and cooked through, making sure it remains juicy. At home, you can cook it in a pan or over high heat, or on an electric griddle. Reserve the fat that is released during cooking.
Step 5
In a paella pan or shallow pan, bring the broth to a boil with a drizzle of olive oil.
Step 6
Add the rice and let it begin to cook over high heat. At this point, add the spice mix, stirring to distribute evenly but not thicken it.
Step 7
After 14 minutes, when the rice is almost cooked, place it in the oven at 200°C for about 5 minutes. This "oven blast" will help give it the final touch of texture and concentration of flavor.
Step 8
Just before serving, place the chop on top of the rice as the centerpiece of the dish.
Step 9
If desired, you can add a touch of smokiness by lighting a sprig of rosemary and placing it on top of the rice once it's cooked.
Step 10
Lightly brush the rice with some of the rendered fat from the chop, sprinkle with salt to taste, and garnish with a little dried rosemary to add aroma and freshness.
The easy and healthy alternative to Sunday paella
From a nutritional standpoint, this pork chop rice recipe is a balanced dish containing complex carbohydrates, high-quality proteins, and fats that burst with flavor.
Bomba rice, being a grain, provides energy, while pork chop, rich in protein and minerals like iron and zinc, provides nutritional value and satiety.
The pork chop's fat, used in a controlled manner to flavor the rice, adds flavor without the need for sauces or ultra-processed ingredients.
Furthermore, the absence of a sauté pan and the use of natural spices like saffron, cumin, cloves, and pepper reduce the calorie content and cooking time.
As a Sunday lunch option, this dish is ideal and a good alternative to paella for those who don't feel like complicating things. It has a festive feel without requiring much preparation.
And often, that's all we need: something that allows us to focus on what's most important: sitting at the table, relaxing, and enjoying a delicious, home-cooked meal with the unmistakable flavor of good rice with meat.
Ideas for reinterpreting rice
An excellent way to reinterpret this rice dish is by replacing the veal chop with other proteins that are also very tasty and can be placed on top of the finished rice.
For example, we can use Iberian pork chops, which offer a juicy texture and intense flavor, ideal for pairing with rice flavored with an equally mild but flavorful broth, such as one prepared with pork ribs, roasted vegetables, and a touch of thyme.
Another very interesting option would be to use Iberian pork secret or presa, two cuts highly valued for their infiltrated fat and flavor.
In these cases, we could enhance the rice with a broth made from the meat itself, ham bones, and a sweet vegetable like carrot, to provide balance.
These cuts, cooked on the grill or seared in a pan, can crown the rice right at the end, providing that contrast between the smoothness of the meat and the texture of the socarrat.
If we're looking for a seafood version, we could replace the meat with grilled fish, such as sea bass or sea bream, or even seafood like shrimp, crayfish, or prawns.
In this case, the broth should be in line with the main ingredient. For example, a good fish and seafood stock made with heads, bones, and shells, enriched with garlic, onion, and a little tomato.
To add depth and a special touch, you could add a little squid ink or a few spoonfuls of salmorreta. The result will be a lighter, but equally flavorful rice.
You could also experiment with vegetable broths intensified with dried mushrooms or kombu seaweed, which are rich in umami and add it to the broth, if you're looking for a more subtle version or even a base for white fish.
