Spanish Arroz Caldoso with Saffron and Lemon

Ingredients

• •4 cups chicken stock
• •1 pinch (about 20 threads) saffron
• •3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• •1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• •4 cloves garlic, minced
• •1 medium ripe tomato, grated on a box grater
• •1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• •1 cup short-grain Spanish rice (such as Bomba or Calasparra)
• •1/2 cup dry white wine
• •1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• •1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• •1/4 tsp black pepper
• •1 lemon — half juiced, half cut into wedges for serving
• •2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. 1.Warm the chicken stock in a small saucepan over low heat. Once it's hot, add the saffron threads, stir, and keep it warm on the lowest setting — this blooms the saffron and infuses the broth.
2. 2.Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot (a Dutch oven works perfectly) over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
3. 3.Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
4. 4.Stir in the grated tomato and smoked paprika. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato has darkened and the sofrito looks jammy and concentrated.
5. 5.Add the rice and stir to coat it in the sofrito. Toast for 1–2 minutes.
6. 6.Pour in the white wine and stir until it's fully absorbed, about 1–2 minutes.
7. 7.Add the warm saffron-infused stock all at once, along with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and black pepper. Stir once to combine, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring only occasionally — this is brothy, not stirred like risotto.
8. 8.While the rice cooks, cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into wedges and set aside for serving. Juice the other half and set the juice aside.
9. 9.After 15 minutes, taste the rice — it should be just tender with a little bite remaining. Nestle the shrimp into the broth and cook for 2–3 minutes, until pink and just cooked through.
10. 10.Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt, adjusting as needed.
11. 11.Ladle into deep bowls, scatter the chopped parsley over the top, and serve immediately with the lemon wedges alongside.