Caldero is a traditional rice stew from the Region of Murcia. It takes its name from the pot in which fishermen cooked it over a fire on the beach, usually a cast-iron cauldron. Through that influence, it is also cooked from time to time in the south of Alicante province and in eastern Almería.
The two keys to arroz al caldero take time: the sofrito and the fish stock (fumet). Don’t forget the rice either: choose a variety that absorbs the intense flavours of this seafaring stew.
If you don’t have a cast-iron cauldron, any heavy-based pot will do. The ingredients list the fish most commonly used, but if you can’t find them you can use other rockfish or small mixed fish.
Ingredients
- 500 g rice
- 2 ñora peppers (dried sweet peppers)
- 1 head of garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- ½ kg grouper
- ½ kg grey mullet
- 1 red scorpionfish
- ½ kg monkfish
- Salt
Method
Heat a little oil in a pot, fry the ñoras and crush them in a mortar with the garlic. Add the grated tomato to the same oil, fry it and add the water. Stir in the crushed ñora and garlic.
Cut the cleaned fish into at least two medium pieces per person. Cook them in the stock, fish heads included, and take them out once cooked. Pour over the fish about 5 garlic cloves crushed in the mortar and mixed with a cup of the fish stock.
Put a couple of tablespoons of oil in a paella pan, fry the rice and add the rest of the fish stock, then cook for 15 minutes. Use the remaining garlic to make an alioli to serve with the rice.
You’ll find more recipes from Juan Moreno on our website.
