Make Barlata's Arroz Negre

Arroz Negre
Recipe Courtesy of Barlata
Yield 4

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Valencian rice
2 tablespoons blended oil
1/4 small white onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mixed, diced bell peppers (red, green and yellow)
1/4 cup squid bodies, sliced into rings, and tentacles
1/2 cup mixed cuttlefish or squid steaks (found at Asian markets), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons Paella Picada (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Paella Sofrito (recipe follows)
2 cups hot Fish and Squid Ink Stock (recipe follows)
4 medium peeled and deveined shrimp, with tails on
4 littleneck clams
1/4 cup peas (thawed, if frozen)

Method
1. Cook rice, according to package directions, halfway through.
2. Drain rice and set aside to cool completely.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch paella pan over high heat until hot.
4. Add onion, peppers, squid and diced fish to the skillet.
5. Cook, tossing, until squid and fish begin to sear, 1 minute.
6. Add rice, picada, sofrito and stock to skillet, stirring constantly to blend the flavors as the stock begins to boil.
7. Lower heat to medium and cover skillet. Simmer arroz slowly, covered, 8 to 10 minutes. Lay shrimp in center of arroz, and arrange clams around edge of paella pan.
8. Cover and cook arroz until the rice is tender, the shrimp are cooked through, and most of the liquid is absorbed.
9. Scatter dish with peas before serving.

Paella Sofrito

Ingredients
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 generous pinches Kosher salt
1 small green pepper, finely diced
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, strained (juice reserved)

Method
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and salt, and reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Cook onion slowly, stirring often, until it is translucent and tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Stir in diced pepper. Cook vegetables until the onion is pale golden and very soft, and the peppers are tender, about 15 more minutes.
5. While onions and peppers sweat, roughly chop tomatoes.
6. Add tomatoes to cooked vegetables and increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil.
7. Lower heat and simmer sauce gently for 1 1/2 hours. Add reserved tomato juice as it reduces.

Paella Picada

Ingredients
1 small garlic clove
Leaves from bunch curly parsley
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method
1. Mash the garlic in a mortar with a pestle until it is completely broken into a fine paste.
2. Combine parsley and 2 tablespoons oil in a blender and process until finely chopped.
3. Add just enough oil to create a thick paste, about 2 to 4 tablespoons more.
4. Transfer herb paste to a medium bowl with garlic mixture. Stir pastes together.
5. Season with salt to taste.

Aioli

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Generous pinch Kosher salt
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method
1. Mash the garlic and salt together in a mortar with a pestle until it is finely ground.
2. Scrape garlic paste into a medium bowl with egg yolks and vinegar.
3. Whisk together egg yolks and vinegar until combined.
4. Stir in garlic paste.
5. While whisking constantly, begin adding a few drops of blended oil.
6. As the base thickens, add oil a bit faster in a thin stream, continuing to whisk constantly.
7. Season with more salt to taste, and thin with water if it is too thick.

Paella Salt

Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons sweet paprika

Method
1. Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Store, covered in an airtight container, at room temperature up to 3 days.

Fish and Squid Ink Stock

Ingredients
2 pounds fish bones and heads
2 large onions, quartered
1 bunch celery
10 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/2 bunch parsley
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons squid ink

Method
1. In a large stockpot, combine all ingredients with 8 quarts water.
2. Bring to a boil, skimming froth, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids. Skim off any fat before using.