Spanish | Saveur

Tinto de Verano

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:45:54 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Tinto de verano, which translates to “red wine of summer,” is a surprising combination of red wine and lemon-lime soda. This cooling spritzer is a perfect refreshment for hot summer days. If a lightly sweetened lemon-lime soda like lemon Fanta or Spain’s La Casera (known locally as “gaseosa” or soda) can’t be found, you can substitute Squirt or 7Up cut with a splash of plain seltzer.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

¾ cup red wine, preferably Spanish, such as rioja
¾ cup lightly sweetened lemon-lime soda
1 lemon or orange wedge, for garnish
Seltzer (optional)

Instructions

To a glass filled halfway with ice, add the red wine and soda. Garnish with a lemon wedge. If the drink is too sweet, add a splash of seltzer.

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Pan con Tomate

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:40:27 +0000

Photo: Linda Xiao • Food Styling: Jason Schreiber • Prop Styling: Summer Moore. Photo: Linda Xiao • Food Styling: Jason Schreiber • Prop Styling: Summer Moore

Pan con tomate translates as bread with tomato, and that’s basically all it is. But what a combination! The dish originated in northern Spain, in the region of Catalonia. There, it’s known as pa amb tomaquet, and it’s usually eaten at lunch or dinner, as a light side dish. But down south in Andalusia, pan con tomate is more often eaten in the morning, and it’s a hearty and luscious food. Its simplicity belies the pleasure that comes whenever it is served. All you need is good-quality olive oil, bread, garlic, a ripe tomato, and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Use the largest holes on a box grater to get at the juicy meat of a beefsteak tomato, discarding most of its skin as you go. Next, rub pieces of toasted baguette with a clove of garlic, drizzle them with olive oil, and top with the sweet grated tomato and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Yield: 4

Time: 15 minutes

Two 6-in. pieces baguette, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, peeled
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 very ripe large tomatoes
Coarse sea salt

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 500°F. Place the baguette halves on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Using your fingers, rub the garlic over the cut surface of the toasts, then drizzle with oil.
Place a box grater over a large bowl and grate the cut sides of the tomatoes over the largest holes, discarding the skins. Spoon the grated tomatoes onto the toasts, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve immediately.

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La Delicia

Marti Buckley — Thu, 30 May 2024 14:27:51 +0000

Photo: Simon Bajada • Food Styling: Sonia Tapia Iglesias • Prop Styling: Ana Villar. Photo: Simon Bajada • Food Styling: Sonia Tapia Iglesias • Prop Styling: Ana Villar

“When a classic pintxo has been around for nearly a hundred years and still flies off the bar counter, you can bet it is special,” writes author Marti Buckley of La Delicia in her cookbook The Book of Pintxos. In this superlative version from Bar La Espiga in San Sebastián, the sharp bite of the delicate onion-parsley vinaigrette balances the saltiness of the anchovies and the richness of the mayonnaise and hard-boiled eggs. The vinaigrette is versatile—it pairs beautifully with everything from white asparagus to grilled shrimp—so you might consider doubling that part of the recipe.

Buckley recommends using homemade mayonnaise and adding an optional splash of Worcestershire (a more recent touch dating back to the 1980s). As for what to drink, she suggests washing it all down with a glass of cava.

Featured in “The Pintxo Bars I Can’t Live Without in San Sebastián” by Marti Buckley.

Yield: Makes 6 canapés

Time: 50 minutes

3 large eggs
½ white onion
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Sunflower or vegetable oil, for drizzling
12 anchovy fillets in olive oil, preferably Cantabrian
Six ¾-in.-thick baguette slices, cut on the bias
¾ cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully lower in the eggs and simmer until hard-boiled, about 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath (or alternatively to a colander and run under cold water) and set aside to cool.
Peel the eggs, then transfer to a cutting board to dry. Remove the yolk from one egg and reserve for another use. In a small food processor, pulse the white until finely chopped, then scrape into a small bowl. Slice the remaining eggs lengthwise into 4 slices each. Cut the two middle slices of each egg (with the most yolk) in half crosswise (reserve the remaining slices for another use).
In the food processor, pulse the onion until finely chopped. Transfer to the bowl with the egg white. In the food processor, pulse the parsley until finely chopped. Scrape into the bowl with the onion and egg white, and stir to combine. Add the vinegar and season to taste with salt. Drizzle generously with oil, stir, and set aside to macerate for at least 15 minutes. (The vinaigrette will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)
To serve, lay two anchovies on each piece of bread. Dab ¼ teaspoon or so of mayonnaise in the center of each anchovy and place a slice of egg on top. Place 1 heaped teaspoon of mayonnaise on top of the egg slice. Working in batches, scoop up 1 heaped teaspoon of the onion vinaigrette and squeeze out the excess liquid. Mound the mixture over the anchovies to the left and right of the egg (do not cover the egg). Splash each pintxo with Worcestershire sauce if desired. Cut them in half, if desired, and serve.

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Ensaladilla Rusa

Marti Buckley — Thu, 30 May 2024 14:20:19 +0000

Photo: Simon Bajada • Food Styling: Sonia Tapia Iglesias • Prop Styling: Ana Villar (Courtesy Artisan Books). Photo: Simon Bajada • Food Styling: Sonia Tapia Iglesias • Prop Styling: Ana Villar (Courtesy Artisan Books)

Ensaladilla rusa is, after tortilla española, the most ubiquitous and popular pintxo in Spain. With its creamy mishmash of potatoes, hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise, and various canned vegetables and seafood mounded on a piece of bread, it’s a crowd-pleaser. The variations are endless: the type of mayonnaise, the cut of the vegetables, the proportions, and the inclusion of ingredients from canned peas to olives to carrots to red peppers all yield different results. This recipe approximates the ensaladilla from Bar Ezkurra, widely considered one of the best in San Sebastián. Make it as written a few times, then experiment to find your own signature mixture.

Featured in “The Pintxo Bars I Can’t Live Without in San Sebastián” by Marti Buckley.

Yield: Makes 15 canapés

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Kosher salt
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (19 oz.), peeled
1 medium peeled carrot, ends trimmed
7 large eggs
3 cups mayonnaise, preferably homemade*, divided
¼ cup drained canned green peas
¼ cup drained canned tuna ventresca in escabeche, or any good-quality oil-packed tuna, flaked
1 baguette, sliced on the bias into 15 pieces

Instructions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and carrot and cook for 8 minutes, then add the eggs and boil for 12 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Pierce one of the potatoes with a fork; if it slides in easily, drain along with the carrot and transfer to a cutting board. (Alternatively, continue boiling until the potatoes are fork-tender.)
Peel the eggs and finely chop five of them (set aside the remaining two whole eggs). Cut the potatoes into ½-inch pieces and the carrot into ¼-inch pieces; transfer the chopped eggs, potatoes, and carrots to a large bowl. Add 1½ cups of the mayonnaise, the peas, tuna, and ½ teaspoon of salt and use a silicone spatula to gently combine. Fold in more mayonnaise (up to ½ cup) until the mixture is creamy and soft. Season to taste with more salt if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To serve, scoop generous portions of the salad atop the baguette slices, using a butter knife to form little mountains. Remove the yolks from the remaining two eggs (reserve them for another use), then use the small holes of a box grater to grate the whites over the pintxos. Using a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off, squeeze a generous teaspoon of mayonnaise onto each pintxo.

*If you use homemade mayo, the ensaladilla will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge, though it’s best enjoyed the same day. With store-bought mayo, it will keep for up to 3 days.

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Salmorejo

Alex Raij — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:23 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

I first encountered salmorejo—gazpacho‘s thicker, more decadent cousin—in Madrid. The cool and creamy tomato soup transcended seasonality. It was topped with egg and jamón ibérico, which wept fatty tears over its surface. Salmorejo demands that you act as a Spaniard and mop up every drop with bread. Then, like an American, you order another bowl.

Yield: 8

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

3 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
8 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 baguette (10 oz.), preferably stale, cut into large pieces
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
½ small yellow onion
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
1½ cups finely chopped Ibérico or serrano ham, or prosciutto
3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped

Instructions

To a blender, add the salt, tomatoes, baguette, garlic, onion, and enough boiling water to cover; set aside for 1 hour.
Reserve 1 cup of the liquid. Drain the vegetables and return them to the blender. Add the oil, vinegar, and reserved liquid. Purée until silky, then season with salt and additional vinegar to taste. Refrigerate until chilled.
Pour the salmorejo into eight bowls and top evenly with the ham, eggs, and a drizzle of oil.

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Torrijas (Spanish ‘French’ Toast)

Benjamin Kemper — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 23:04:31 +0000

Photo: Andrew Bui • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Andrew Bui • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Though traditionally deep-fried in olive oil, torrijas—Spain’s quintessential Holy Week dessert that falls somewhere between French toast and bread pudding—are subtler and less greasy when baked, as this knockout recipe from Madrid’s Panem bakery goes to show. Challah or good white sandwich bread may be substituted for the brioche. If you own a kitchen torch, you can use it in lieu of the broiler in step 5 to brûlée the bread on the top and sides. Panem doesn’t top its torrijas with cinnamon sugar, but the flavor combination is so classic that it felt like heresy to exclude it completely. Torrijas will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days, though they lose their sugary crunch after a day or so. The bread slices may be halved into rectangles in step 2 for smaller servings.

Featured in “Torrijas Are Spanish ‘French’ Toast—With a Few Tantalizing Twists,” by Benjamin Kemper.

Yield: 6

Time: 30 hours

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sugar, divided
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
6 large egg yolks
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped (pod reserved for another use)
Six 1½-in.-thick day-old brioche slices, crusts removed (about 11 oz.)
Cinnamon sugar, for dusting (optional)-sugar for dusting, optional

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, ⅓ cup of the sugar, the lemon zest, egg yolks, and vanilla bean seeds. Cover and refrigerate to infuse for 6–24 hours.
Cut the bread into six 4-inch squares, then arrange in a single layer in a medium baking dish. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the custard mixture evenly over the bread. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly soaked, about 24 hours.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Place a large wire rack over a few layers of paper towels. Using a spatula, transfer the bread slices to the rack to dry slightly, about 30 minutes. (Discard any remaining liquid or reserve for another use.)
Place the wire rack with the bread over a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the slices are dry at the edges but still pale, 8–12 minutes. Set aside until cool.
Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the remaining ⅔ cup of sugar evenly over the bread slices. Broil, rotating the baking sheet halfway through cooking (and checking the toasts every minute or so to prevent burning), until the tops are amber in color, 3–5 minutes.
Transfer to a platter, dust with cinnamon sugar if desired, and serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

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Smoky Spanish Green Beans with Garlic and Jamón

Benjamin Kemper — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:17:27 +0000

Photography by Julia Gartland; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Welcome to One Pot Bangers, Benjamin Kemper’s column, where you’ll find our freshest, boldest cooking ideas that require just one pot, bowl, skillet, or sheet pan. Busy week? We’ve got you covered with these low-effort, high-reward recipes from around the globe.

As a 15-year-old exchange student living in Madrid, I couldn’t imagine anything less thrilling than the words “green beans for dinner,” but there I was at my host mom’s table—a fork in one hand, a napkin wherein to spit in the other—bracing for another round of culinary culture shock.

But despite the beans’ unsightly appearance—they seemed wholly devoid of chlorophyll—I was sold from the moment I caught a whiff of them, all garlic and pork and smoke. These were my first judías verdes rehogadas, romano beans tossed with pimentón-laced olive oil and nubs of salty jamón.

The “rehogado” part, I’d later learn, refers to the oil-alium-paprika sofrito (cooked sauce) that sizzles away while the beans are boiling. Spaniards love preparing cabbage, artichokes, and countless other vegetables this way—boiled to death (hear us out!), then flavored with sofrito—but I always come back to green beans.

This time of year, I seek out the flat, meaty romanos my host mom always cooked with, though they’re increasingly hard to come by stateside. (Regular old string beans are also traditional and work well.) Though typically a first course, I like turning these stewed beans into a satisfying meal by sliding a fried egg on top and mopping up the garlicky crimson juices with plenty of country bread.

¼ cup kosher salt, plus more to taste
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
4 garlic cloves, sliced ⅛ in. thick
3½ oz. serrano ham or prosciutto, preferably in one slice, finely chopped
2 tsp. pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika), plus more for garnish
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
1½ lb. romano or green beans, fresh or frozen (see footnote)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Fill a large pot two-thirds full with water and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and salt and boil until soft (past al dente), about 20 minutes. Drain, then set aside in the colander.
Wipe out the pot and return it to the stove. Add the oil and garlic and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until deep golden, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat to medium, add the ham, and cook until fragrant and opaque, about 1 minute. Stir in the pimentón, cook for 30 seconds, then add the vinegar and cook until reduced slightly, about 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat.
Add the beans back to the pot and stir to combine. Add the lemon juice and additional vinegar and salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with more oil and dusted lightly with pimentón.

Note: If using fresh beans, slice or snap off the stem ends, then cut into 1½-inch pieces.

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Catalan Rabbit Stew with Sherry, Mushrooms, and Almonds

Justina Terés Sondevila — Fri, 12 May 2023 15:20:44 +0000

Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen • Prop Styling: Kim Gray. Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen • Prop Styling: Kim Grayby Belle Morizio; Food Styling By Jessie YuChen; Prop Styling By Kim Gray

In Spanish cuisine, borracho (“drunken”) indicates that the dish in question contains alcohol. In this rabbit stew recipe, chunks of tender rabbit bubble away in a homestyle Catalan sauce made with sherry, mushrooms, and a “picada” of ground almonds. Follow these instructions for breaking down a whole rabbit, and be sure to cut the hind legs crosswise in two using a cleaver or sharp knife.

Featured in “A Spanish Abuela’s Secret to Drunken Rabbit Stew—And to Life Itself,” by Paul Richardson, and in the related Grandmas Project short film.

Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Kosher salt
½ cup olive oil, divided
1 whole rabbit (2½–3 lb.), cut into 11 pieces (see headnote)
7 oz. coarsely chopped mushrooms (preferably a variety; about 2¼ cups
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup raw blanched almonds, finely ground in a food processor or mortar and pestle
1 cup dry sherry
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Pat the rabbit dry with paper towels and season generously with salt. To a large pot set over medium-high heat, add ¼ cup of the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the rabbit and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes total. Using tongs, transfer to a plate.
To the pot, add the mushrooms, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of oil and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the rabbit.
To the pot, add the bell pepper, onion, and remaining oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the almonds, sherry, and reserved mushrooms and rabbit and stir to combine. Season with salt. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the sherry has reduced by two thirds, 6–7 minutes. Add enough water to barely cover the rabbit (about 2 cups), then turn the heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until the rabbit is tender, 2½–3 hours.

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Classic Gildas

Ellen Fort — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 20:20:20 +0000

Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Laura Sampedro. Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Laura Sampedro

It’s always Snacky Hour somewhere, at least according to snack-obsessed SAVEUR senior editor Ellen Fort. Follow along as she discovers the best bites that fall outside the confines of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Savory, salty, spicy, sweet, sour: everything’s fair game during Snacky Hour.

Named after Rita Hayworth’s bold, spicy character in the eponymous 1946 film, the Gilda quickly became a classic Basque pintxo. Served on the counters of bars and taverns throughout the region, pintxos are finger foods often pierced with a skewer (pintxo means “spike” in Basque), with infinite combinations of flavors like chorizo and Manchego cheese, tuna-stuffed peppers, or garlicky mushrooms. For the Gilda, the allure starts with salty, umami anchovies offset by the vinegary bite of the peppers, and buttery olives. Use the highest quality anchovies you can find (see our comprehensive guide here); Gildas are simple and thus rely on the very best ingredients to make them shine. Snag top-notch Guindilla peppers, anchovy fillets, and Manzanilla olives online if your local grocery store lacks options. We recommend them served alongside a classic Gin Tonic or Spanish sidra.

Yield: 8

Time: 10 minutes

8 pickled Guindilla peppers
8 oil-packed anchovy fillets
8 pitted Manzanilla olives

Instructions

Making one pintxo at a time, slide a pepper onto the skewer. Next add the anchovy, folding it into an s-shape and piercing it through the middle. Finally, slide on an olive to complete the skewer. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Albóndigas a la Jardinera (Stewed Spanish Meatballs with Vegetables)

Laura Sampedro — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 21:36:30 +0000

Photo: David Malosh • Food Styling: Pearl Jones • Prop Styling: Sophie Strangio. Photo: David Malosh • Food Styling: Pearl Jones • Prop Styling: Sophie Strangio

Meatballs in Spain are often made with veal, gently browned, and finished in a light gravy, making for supremely tender and juicy morsels. This albóndigas recipe for “Gardener’s Meatballs” from SAVEUR’s managing editor Laura Sampedro works well with ground veal, pork, or a combination of the two.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

⅓ cup panko, or two slices fluffy white bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
⅓ cup whole milk
1 lb. ground veal
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley leaves
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
2 tsp. all-purpose flour, plus more for coating
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped (¾ cup)
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
⅓ cup frozen peas
⅓ cup frozen diced carrots
½ cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced

For the fried potatoes:

3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Instructions

Make the meatballs: In a small bowl, stir together the panko and milk and set aside to soak until the milk is fully absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Line a plate with parchment paper and set aside. To a medium bowl, add the veal, half of the garlic, the parsley, egg, breadcrumb mixture, and salt, then stir together until well combined. To a shallow bowl, add enough flour for dredging. Divide the meatball mixture into twenty-four 2-tablespoon portions and roll into 1-inch meatballs. Lightly dredge each meatball in the flour and set on the lined plate until ready to cook.
To a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add just enough olive oil to just coat the bottom. Set a clean plate by the stove. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly golden all over (but not yet cooked through), about 5–7 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to the plate and set aside.
Pour off any accumulated excess oil from the pan (keep the browned drippings) so the pan remains lightly coated in a layer of oil. Return the skillet to medium heat, add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown around the edges, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the remaining garlic and cook until the onions are soft and the garlic is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to low and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of flour over the onion mixture. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the flour is no longer raw, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the white wine, a bit at a time, stirring to incorporate, until it has all been added. Bring to a boil and cook for another minute, then slowly stir in 1 cup water. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens to a smooth gravy, 5–6 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
To a blender or food mill, transfer the sauce and process until smooth. Return the sauce to the skillet along with the reserved meatballs, bay leaves, peas, and carrots. Stir to coat, and season with salt to taste. Cover the skillet, set over low heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through and very tender, 5–7 minutes. (If the sauce is too thick, stir in ¼ cup water at a time to thin as needed.) Remove from the heat, uncover, and stir in the roasted red peppers just before serving.
Meanwhile, fry the potatoes: To a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil to a depth of 2 inches. When the oil is hot, add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and crisp on the outside and soft in the center, 10–15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a platter and season with a generous pinch of salt. Top with meatballs and a generous helping of sauce and serve.

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Baked Spanish Rice with Chorizo, Chickpeas, and Raisins

Benjamin Kemper — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:03:38 +0000

Photo: David Malosh • Food Styling: Pearl Jones • Prop Styling: Sophie Strangio. Photo: David Malosh • Food Styling: Pearl Jones • Prop Styling: Sophie Strangio

Welcome to One Pot Bangers, Benjamin Kemper’s weeknight cooking column, where you’ll find our freshest, boldest ideas that require just one pot, skillet, or sheet pan. Busy week? We’ve got you covered with these low-effort, high-reward recipes from around the globe.

Paella gets so much attention that it eclipses Spain’s other, equally worthy, rice dishes—like this one-pot arroz al horno, or baked rice with chickpeas. The dish is primo Valencian comfort food, and I love its Moorish undertones (saffron! cinnamon! dried fruit!)—a reminder that Arabs brought rice to the Iberian Peninsula in the 7th century. Happily, the paella police are indifferent about arroz al horno, so feel free to play around: Don’t like raisins? Nix them (or sub prunes or apricots). In your plant-based era? Simply skip the chorizo and up the chickpea quotient.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2½ lb. Spanish-style chorizo, sliced ¾-in. thick
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 Tbsp. red pepper paste, such as choricero, ñora, or ají panca, or 1 tsp. sweet (unsmoked) paprika
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
¼ cup dry sherry
3¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock, or water
Pinch cinnamon
Large pinch saffron threads
One 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained (1½ cups)
½ cup raisins
Kosher salt
1½ cups short- or medium-grain rice, such as carnaroli, arborio, or Goya medium-grain (see footnote)
Finely chopped chives, for garnish

Instructions

To a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and enough chorizo to cover the bottom of the pan without overcrowding. Cook, turning once, until crisped on both sides, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, then repeat with any remaining chorizo and set aside. Discard any accumulated fat and return the pot to the stove.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF. To the empty pot, add the remaining olive oil, garlic, onions, and bell pepper and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is jammy and browned, about 20 minutes (do not rush this step). Stir in the red pepper paste and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the sherry, bring to a boil, then add the stock, cinnamon, saffron, chickpeas, raisins, reserved chorizo, and salt to taste and return to a boil.
Add the rice, bring to a boil again, then bake, uncovered, until the rice is al dente and the liquid is absorbed, 20–25 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover, and let stand until the rice is just tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chives and serve hot or warm.

Note: If using Spanish bomba or Calasparra rice (which absorb more liquid), increase the stock to 4½ cups and the cooking time by roughly 10 minutes.

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