Dona Juana's Spanish Rice Casserole

Rice and potatoes? They love it in Spain. Surprisingly delicious, this casserole borrows its good rich flavor from the Spanish-style
chorizo.

De Faraone inherited the recipe from her mother and her children prefer it to paella. The broth should be really boiling when added to the rice for even cooking, she says.

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 head garlic, washed but left unpeeled

2 medium potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch thick slices

2 cups uncooked rice

1 tablespoon Spanish paprika, hot or mild

1 pound Spanish chorizos, cut in 2-inch pieces

4 to 6 ounces morcilla (blood sausage), sliced in 1-inch pieces

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

2 small tomatoes, sliced in thick wedges or rings

4 cups boiling chicken broth

Salt

Dash saffron threads

Heat olive oil in stove- and oven-proof shallow casserole over medium
heat. Add and sauté garlic head few minutes. Add potatoes and rice and
cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in paprika and remove
from heat.

Gently mix in chorizos, morcilla, garbanzo beans and tomatoes.
Rearrange garlic head in middle, alternately surrounding with some tomato
and potato slices. Add boiling chicken broth to casserole and lightly
season to taste with salt and saffron. Cover and bake at 425 degrees 10
minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer. Makes about 6
servings.

Information Source: Colman Andrews
Los Angeles Times

Colman Andrews is the author of "Catalan Cuisine" (Collier Books) and the forthcoming "Everything on the Table," to be published in November by Bantam. He is working on a book on contemporary Spanish cooking.