See recipe
Arroz caldoso de bogavante
Interpretive Recipe — inspired by the reported menu. Not the actual Augusta National recipe.
Prep 30 minCook 45 minServes 4
Ingredients
- For the dish:
- 2 live lobsters (about 1.5 lbs each), or 4 lobster tails
- 1.5 cups Spanish Bomba rice or Calasparra rice (do not substitute long-grain)
- 4 cups lobster or shellfish stock, hot
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 tbsp good olive oil
- 1 medium onion, very finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, very finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, grated on a box grater (skin discarded)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera)
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads, bloomed in 2 tbsp warm water
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, quartered
Instructions
- 1. Dispatch the lobster: freeze for 20 minutes first for a humane preparation. Then cut in half lengthwise through the head and tail with a heavy chef's knife. Or use lobster tails cut into 2-inch medallions.
- 2. Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep paella pan or high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the lobster pieces, cut-side down, for 2 minutes until they turn red and pick up golden colour. Remove and set aside — they will finish cooking in the rice.
- 3. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Cook the onion and red pepper for 8 to 10 minutes until completely soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- 4. Add the grated tomato, tomato paste, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes until the tomato has completely darkened and almost jammy — this is the sofregit, the flavour base of the dish.
- 5. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce by half.
- 6. Add the rice and stir to coat in the sofregit for 1 to 2 minutes.
- 7. Add the bloomed saffron (with its liquid) and all the hot stock. Season generously with salt. Stir once to distribute everything evenly — do not stir again after this point.
- 8. Nestle the lobster pieces back into the rice. Bring to a vigorous boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes. Unlike paella, arroz caldoso should be "wet" — there should be plenty of broth around the rice. If it looks dry, add more hot stock.
- 9. Remove from heat. Rest for 2 minutes. Scatter with parsley and serve directly from the pan. Provide a lemon quarter for each guest.
