How to prepare rice with chard, a Valencian recipe less known than paella or baked rice

Rice with chard is a typical recipe Valencian recipe bookperhaps not as well known as paella, the baked ricethe stew or the coca, but this dish definitely has everything we like, and not only because of its ingredients, simple and accessible, but because of what inspires me… it is traditional, it smells like home and tastes like hope, the kind we want for all the people who are suffering right now. A small tribute to the simple and that many probably miss at this time, a hot dish to comfort the body and soul, and move forward after the disaster.

It is a fantastic stew since it combines cereal and legume, the green touch of the chard, which is used whole, from the most tender leaf to the stalk, and the unmistakable paprika and saffron dressing that improves any rice dish. If you are a spoon-eater, you will love this recipe.

The quantities can be adapted and in each house it is prepared in a different way, it will depend on whether we like it more or less brothy, with more or less rice, etc. If you want to spend less time, you just have to replace the dried and soaked beans with already cooked white beans.

The ingredient data you see below are for 4 people. Plus, it’s vegan and vegetarian and takes about 45 minutes to prepare.

This is how you can prepare it:

Wash the chard well, remove the threads from the stalks, chop and transfer to a large bowl with fresh water. Leave it in water for a while and drain well, changing to another bowl with clean water. Repeat as many times as necessary until they are very clean and free of dirt. Drain well. Peel and chop the onion and garlic very finely. Grate the tomato and set aside. Peel the potato and chop into not very large pieces.

In a large saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until golden, add the tomato pulp and let the juice reduce and the flavor concentrate for approximately 5 minutes. Add the saffron and paprika and stir well to release their aroma. Immediately add the chard and stir well for a couple of minutes until they reduce in volume. Add the potato, cover with very hot water, salt and let it cook over high heat for 15 minutes. Add the already cooked legume at that point and stir. Right after, add the rice.

To cook the rice we will leave it for 8 minutes over high heat and 10 more over medium-low heat. Shake the pot from time to time to prevent it from sticking.

You can enjoy other culinary ideas by consulting this list of healthy, original and delicious recipes created by Catalina Prieto and remember that you can also follow her work on Instagram, in the account @24carrots.