Spanish rice with chicken & beans

Ingredients

1kg chicken pieces

1/3 cup olive oil

1 medium brown onion, finely chopped

1 small red capsicum, finely chopped

1 small green capsicum, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped seeds removed

100 ml dry white wine

1litre (4 cups) hot chicken stock

200 gm runner beans, cut into 3cm pieces

200 gm Calasparra rice

4 cloves garlic

¼ tsp saffron threads

½ tsp sweet Spanish paprika

½ tsp thyme leaves

½ tsp black peppercorns

Method

The easiest way to peel tomatoes is to score the bottom of them with a cross and put them in a saucepan of boiling water for about 2 minutes. You will see the skin start to lift where you have made the cross. Remove them from the water and once they have cooled enough to touch you will be able to very easily peel off the skins. Next, quarter them and remove the seeds. All you should have left is the flesh ready to chop.

Thoroughly season chicken pieces with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based casserole dish or pan, add chicken pieces and brown for 4 minutes on each side, then remove and cover with foil.

Add onion to pan and cook for 10 minutes or until soft but not coloured, then add capsicum and cook for 10 minutes or until soft. Add tomato and cook for another 15 minutes. This is called sofrito; cooking it slowly and gently for a long time intensifies the flavour and, judging by the focus it gets in any recipe book I have looked at, is the key to all good Spanish rice dishes.

Add wine, bring to the boil, then add hot stock and reserved chicken, increase heat to medium, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes or until stock has reduced by about a third. Add rice and stir through.

Meanwhile, combine garlic, saffron, paprika, thyme and peppercorns in a mortar and, using a pestle, pound until well crushed. Add a few tablespoons of hot liquid from the pan and mix well, then add spice mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is almost tender.  At this point add the beans and continue the simmer until chicken is well cooked. Remove from heat, stand for 10 minutes, then serve.  Letting is rest settles the liquid and gives you the right consistency for the dish. It also ensures that you don’t burn your mouth when taking the first bite!

Last time I made this I drank a Spanish Albarino with it.