If you’ve ever traveled to Spain, chances are you’ve come across paella once or twice. It originated in Valencia, but can now be found on pretty much every restaurant’s menu in the country. And while we love the flavors that come with traditional paella, sometimes change is a good thing. That’s where arroz caldoso comes in.

Arroz Caldoso is a simple Spanish rice dish served in restaurants and homes across Spain. It literally translates to “soupy rice”, so you can guess where this arroz caldoso recipe is heading. If you’re a soup and rice lover, you’re going to fall in love with this recipe. And we’ve even added our own twist to it too. Lobster.

Arroz Caldoso Recipe

Author: G’day Soufflé
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes

Arroz Caldoso Ingredients

1 fresh lobster cut in half lengthwise
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chili paste
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp tomato paste
‘Pinch’ of saffron threads dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
1 shot glass of brandy
¼ cup white wine
2 tomatoes, grated
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
3 cups chicken or fish stock
¾ cup short grain rice (bomba or arborio)
Parsley sprigs for garnish

Directions

To start your arroz caldoso, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (or paella pan if you have it). Add the red pepper, chopped onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for five minutes, or until the vegetables soften. Next, add the chili paste, paprika, tomato paste, brandy and white wine and stir. Then dissolve several saffron threads in ¼ cup of hot water. Add to the mixture along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

To grate the tomatoes, slice in half horizontally. Then grate the flesh side using a box grater until just the skin remains. Discard the skin. Add the tomatoes to the mixture, along with 3 cups of chicken or fish stock. This now becomes the base for making your lobster broth.

Slice your raw lobster in half lengthwise and clean the ‘guts’ and liver from the lobster. You can also ask your fishmonger to do this part for you before bringing it home. Next, place the lobster halves and claws into the broth. Cook for several minutes, then turn the pieces over and cook the other side. After 5-6 minutes, the lobster should be perfectly cooked. Remove the lobster pieces from the broth. Let cool for a few minutes, then remove the meat from the lobster and set aside.

Return the lobster shells to the broth and simmer for at least 20 minutes until all the flavors infuse. Remove the lobster shells from the broth and then adjust the seasoning of the broth according to your preference. You should have at least 3 cups of broth remaining. Top up the liquid with more chicken or fish stock, if required.

Bring the broth up to a low boil then add the ¾ cup dry rice, also called arroz in Spain. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the rice uncovered until soft. The rice should now be nestled within a soupy broth. If the rice has absorbed a lot of the liquid of the broth and is therefore too dry, add some more stock to the mixture.

Before serving your arroz caldoso, add the lobster meat back into the brothy rice. You can add a few lobster shells for decoration if you desire. Serve with several pieces of parsley and a pinch of black pepper for garnish.

Arroz Caldoso Pairs Well With

Arroz Caldoso is a very hearty meal by itself, so it’s often served as a main dish. However, if you want to serve it as a starter or as a tapas dish, there is a lot that you can pair arroz caldoso with. We recommend serving a side salad with this seafood dish. A crisp cucumber salad would be very refreshing in the summertime, and a nice Caesar salad works too. But it wouldn’t be soup without bread to dip in. So, grab yourself a warm baguette and drizzle it with olive oil for the full Spanish experience.