Recipe: Zamora-style Rice (Spain)

ZAMORA-STYLE RICE
(ARROZ AL ESTILO DE ZAMORA / PORK RICE)
Source: La Matanza del Puerco by Teresa de Santos and Ignacio Sanz.
Servings: 4

1 lb 2 oz rice
3 cloves garlic
1 lb 2 oz onion
9 oz turnip
6 thin slices belly pork or streaky bacon
1 pig's foot
1 pig's ear
1 pig's snout
9 oz cured ham
2 tbsp pork drippings
1 tsp pimenton (paprika)
Small bunch parsley (cilantro)
1 sprig thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt

Clean and trim the ear, foot and snout and scald in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain, then place in a pan with the thyme, and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 3 hours or until tender. Pour off the cooking liquid and set aside. Remove the meat from the pig foot and cut into chunks along with the ear and snout.

Heat the drippings and olive oil in an earthenware casserole and add the finely chopped onion, the peeled and sliced garlic cloves, the chopped parsley and the peeled and sliced turnips. Cook all these ingredients together gently until they begin to turn golden, then add the chopped ham and the other meat ingredients. Add 6 1/3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid and simmer gently until the turnips are done.

Stir in the paprika; add the rice and check for salt. If necessary, add more stock so that there is twice as much liquid as rice. Cook for 10 minutes, then arrange the belly pork or bacon in thin slices on the top.

Place the casserole in a pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes or until the topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving directly from the casserole.