The Temporary Vegetarian: Arroz de Verduras

By Elaine Louie
Courtesy George Mendes

Arroz de Verduras, or vegetable rice, is an intensely flavored dish of many colors. It is rice cooked in a sofrito, a base of garlic, onions, sweet paprika, fresh tomato and saffron, and then studded with corn, edamame, peas and olives and baked until the edges are crisp and golden. It is a dish with Portuguese roots that George Mendes, the 37- year-old chef and a co-owner of Aldea, in Manhattan, introduced at his restaurant. As a first-generation American, he grew up in Danbury, Conn., surrounded by 30 relatives, all of whom had emigrated from Portugal. “My mom, and my aunts, all cooked,” he said.

The base of the dish is a Spanish rice, either Calasparra or Bomba, the brands of rice used in a paella. “It absorbs so much flavor,” Mr. Mendes said.

Print Recipe

Arroz de Verduras (Vegetable Rice)

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Time 1 hour

Ingredients
  • FOR THE SOFRITO:
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Generous pinch of saffron threads
  • 2 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
  • FOR THE RICE:
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound rice, preferably Bomba or Calasparra
  • 4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 cups carrots, cut into one-third to one-half inch dice
  • 1 cup edamame beans
  • 1 cup peas
  • 2 cups corn kernels
  • 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
Method
  • 1. For the sofrito: Bring a pan of water to a boil, add tomatoes, and blanch for 15 seconds. Drain, rinse under cold water, and peel. Core, seed, and cut into 1/2-inch dice. In a skillet over medium-low heat, add the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden. Add saffron and sauté 2 minutes. Add tomato and sauté until all the moisture is gone. Stir in paprika and remove from heat.
  • 2. For the rice: In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sofrito and olive oil. Place over medium-low heat. Add rice and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the rice is toasted, about 1 minute. Add 3 cups of the stock and mix well. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (At this point the rice is partially cooked and may be spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet, covered with more parchment, and allowed to sit at room temperature for up to three hours before finishing.)
  • 3. To finish: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a small pan of water to a boil, add carrots, and blanch for 10 seconds. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Spread the rice evenly across the bottom of a 16 to 18 inch paella or sauté pan, and scatter the edamame, peas, corn, carrots, and olives on top. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with remaining 1 1/2 cups stock.
  • 4. Place pan in oven and bake until the rice is crisped around the edges and a "soccarat," a crust, has formed on the bottom of the pan, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and cilantro. Mix well, scraping the bottom and sides of pan, and adjust salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot.

Source: Adapted from George Mendes, Executive Chef and an owner at Aldea