Arroz de carrilleras recipe: beef cheek, carrot and chickpea paella
Thrifty, flavoursome and easy to make, this recipe for arroz de carrilleras (beef cheek, carrot and chickpea paella) from Spanish chef Omar Allibhoy is an absolute winner.
Both beef and pork cheeks work brilliantly in comforting, slow-cooked dishes, becoming wonderfully tender over time. In this one-pan recipe, the ingredients do all the work for you; while the rice simmers and swells in the meaty, flavoursome broth, the beef cheeks become melt-in-your-mouth soft.
The recipe features in Paella: The Original One-Pan Dish, Omar’s latest book. Over the course of 50 recipes, he explores the versatility of Spain’s national dish, offering riffs on the classic paella Valenciana, as well as innovative, all-new recipes.
To keep the Spanish theme going, bring the paella to the table in the pan and serve family-style. A leafy green salad finished with a zesty lemon dressing and jug of fruity sangria would both make ideal accompaniments.
Things to note:
Before starting this recipe you must soak the dried chickpeas in water for 24 hours.
You can cook this dish in a large frying pan (skillet) if you don’t have a paellera. However, ensure it's big enough to fit all the ingredients, as the rice will swell and grow as it cooks.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select ‘Cups’.
Ingredients
- 100 ml olive oil
- 800 g beef cheeks
- 3 carrots, cut into small batons
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 0.2 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 5 black peppercorns
- 175 ml red wine
- 3 l water
- 100 g dried chickpeas, soaked in water for 24 hours
- 400 g Spanish paella rice
- 1 pinch salt, to taste
- 3.5 fl oz olive oil
- 28.2 oz beef cheeks
- 3 carrots, cut into small batons
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 0.2 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 5 black peppercorns
- 6.2 fl oz red wine
- 5.3 pints water
- 3.5 oz dried chickpeas, soaked in water for 24 hours
- 14.1 oz Spanish paella rice
- 1 pinch salt, to taste
- 0.4 cup olive oil
- 28.2 oz beef cheeks
- 3 carrots, cut into small batons
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 0.2 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 5 black peppercorns
- 0.7 cup red wine
- 12.7 cups water
- 3.5 oz dried chickpeas, soaked in water for 24 hours
- 14.1 oz Spanish paella rice
- 1 pinch salt, to taste
Details
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Recipe Type: Rice
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 210 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Heat the olive oil in a paella pan or a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Season the beef cheeks with salt and fry for 5 minutes on each side.
- Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic and fry for 10 minutes, until well browned. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
- Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, paprika and black peppercorns, followed by the red wine. Cook for a minute, then pour in the water. Reduce the heat to low and add the chickpeas. Simmer gently for 3 hours, until both the chickpeas and beef cheeks are soft to the touch.
- Add the rice and stir well to evenly distribute. Taste the liquid and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 9 minutes, without stirring.
- Remove the paella from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving with a leafy green salad, if you wish.
Recipe adapted from Paella: The Original One-Pan Dish: Over 50 Recipes for the Spanish Classic by Omar Allibhoy (£18, Quadrille). Photography by Facundo Bustamante.
Paella: The Original One-Pan Dish: Over 50 Recipes for the Spanish Classic by Omar Allibhoy
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