A Mediterranean rice dish, rich and aromatic, made with fish, seafood, vegetables and a deeply flavoursome fish stock

Brothy Seafood Rice is one of the most comforting dishes in traditional Spanish Mediterranean cuisine. Unlike dry rice dishes such as paella, brothy rice is cooked surrounded by stock from beginning to end, resulting in a juicy, aromatic dish full of depth and flavour.

Its defining characteristic is precisely its texture: the rice should not be dry, but rather accompanied by plenty of intensely flavoured stock that captures all the aromas of the sea and the slowly cooked sofrito.

This style of rice is particularly popular in the Spanish Levante region, where seafood, rice dishes and fish-based stocks are an essential part of the culinary tradition.

In this version, the sofrito combines garlic, onion, green pepper, roasted red pepper, fresh tomato and green asparagus, creating an aromatic base that comes together with the flavours of squid, monkfish, prawns, clams and langoustines.

The result is an elegant, deeply Mediterranean brothy rice with a richly flavoured stock, tender rice and a selection of seafood that turns every spoonful into a genuine gastronomic experience.

Ingredients

For the brothy rice

• 320 g rice
• 1.2–1.5 litres fish stock
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 2 ripe fresh tomatoes
• 100 g green asparagus
• 250 g squid, cut into rings
• 250 g monkfish, cut into cubes
• 200 g peeled prawns
• 150 g shelled clams
• 4–6 langoustines
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, optional
• A few strands of saffron, optional
• Fresh parsley, to finish

For the sofrito

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• The finely chopped garlic
• The finely chopped onion
• The green pepper, finely diced
• The fresh tomato, grated or puréed

To finish

• Fresh chopped parsley
• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• A few langoustines and prawns for decoration
• Lemon, optional

Method

1. Prepare all the ingredients

Before beginning, prepare all the ingredients.

Clean and cut the squid into rings.

Cut the monkfish into evenly sized cubes.

Peel the prawns, reserving a few whole ones for the final presentation.

If using clams in their shells, clean them thoroughly and open them separately in a frying pan. In this version, shelled clams are used, so they can be added directly during cooking.

Clean the green asparagus and cut it into small pieces.

Finely chop the garlic, onion and green pepper.

2. Prepare the Mediterranean sofrito

Heat a deep, wide-based pan, preferably cast iron or one with a heavy base.

Add a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil.

Add the garlic and cook gently for a few seconds, taking care not to let it brown too much.

Add the onion and green pepper.

Cook slowly for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelise.

Finally, add the grated or puréed fresh tomato.

Cook the sofrito for a further 10–15 minutes over a medium-low heat until it becomes concentrated, glossy and deeply aromatic.

This step is essential: a good sofrito forms the flavour foundation of the rice.

3. Add the seafood

Add the squid to the sofrito.

Cook for a few minutes so that it begins to release its juices and becomes integrated with the vegetable base.

Add the monkfish cubes and green asparagus.

Stir gently to prevent the fish from breaking apart.

Add the peeled prawns and mix for approximately one minute.

There is no need to cook the seafood completely at this stage, as it will continue cooking once the rice and stock are added.

4. Add the rice

Add the rice to the pan and carefully mix it with the sofrito and seafood.

Cook for approximately 1–2 minutes, stirring gently.

This brief step allows the rice to absorb all the flavours before the stock is added.

For this preparation, rice varieties that absorb flavour well and provide a creamy, cohesive texture are particularly suitable.

5. Add the fish stock

Heat the fish stock beforehand.

Pour the hot stock over the rice and the other ingredients.

The quantity of stock should be considerably greater than that used for a dry rice dish, as the aim is to create a brothy preparation with plenty of liquid.

Add the saffron, if using.

Increase the heat slightly until the mixture comes to the boil.

Once boiling, reduce to a medium heat and cook for approximately 15–18 minutes, depending on the variety of rice used.

During cooking, stir occasionally and gently.

The rice should remain surrounded by stock at all times.

6. Add the clams and langoustines

When approximately 5–7 minutes of cooking time remain, add the shelled clams.

Arrange the langoustines on top of the rice so that they cook in the steam and stock.

If you have reserved whole prawns, add them during the final few minutes as well.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

The aim is to achieve tender rice that remains slightly firm in the centre, accompanied by a flavoursome, glossy and lightly thickened stock.

7. Resting

Remove the pan from the heat once the rice has reached the desired consistency.

Leave to rest for 2–3 minutes, without covering it completely.

Unlike dry rice dishes, brothy rice should not be left to rest for too long, as the rice will continue absorbing the stock.

If necessary, add a small splash of hot fish stock just before serving to restore the perfect consistency.

8. Serving

Serve immediately in deep plates or wide bowls.

Distribute the rice, making sure each portion contains a generous amount of squid, monkfish, prawns, clams and seafood.

Place a langoustine on top as the main decorative element.

Finish with freshly chopped parsley and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.

If desired, serve with a few drops of lemon, although a well-balanced seafood rice does not necessarily require any additional acidity.

The finished dish should be generous, aromatic and visually appealing, with an intensely coloured stock and a pronounced flavour of the sea.

Gourmet Presentation

For a more sophisticated presentation, serve the rice in deep white tableware, allowing the colour of the stock and the seafood to take centre stage.

Carefully place a langoustine in the centre or slightly angled over the rice.

Add a few prawns, small pieces of asparagus and fresh parsley leaves.

Finish with a few drops of good-quality extra virgin olive oil.

The contrast between the golden stock, rice, monkfish, squid, prawns and langoustines transforms this traditional dish into a presentation worthy of a fine dining table.

The Secrets to Perfect Brothy Seafood Rice

1. Use a fish stock with plenty of character.
The stock is one of the fundamental elements of the dish. It should be flavoursome and sufficiently concentrated to transfer its depth of flavour to the rice.

2. Use a deep cooking vessel.
Unlike paella, brothy rice needs to retain a substantial amount of liquid throughout the cooking process.

3. Do not allow the rice to dry out.
The aim is to achieve juicy rice surrounded by stock. If the rice absorbs too much liquid, add hot fish stock during cooking.

4. Prepare a good sofrito.
The combination of garlic, onion, pepper, tomato and olive oil provides depth and structure to the dish.

5. Do not overcook the seafood.
The prawns, langoustines and monkfish should retain a delicate, succulent texture.

6. Add the clams towards the end.
This helps them retain their texture and flavour.

7. Serve immediately.
The rice will continue to absorb the stock even after being removed from the heat. Serving it promptly helps preserve its characteristic brothy texture.

The Premium Gourmet Touch

To take this rice dish to another level, prepare a concentrated fish and seafood fumet in advance using monkfish bones and head, prawn heads and shells, onion, leek, tomato and aromatic herbs.

A small sofrito made with the prawn heads and shells can also add extraordinary intensity to the stock.

For an even more sophisticated version, add a few strands of saffron previously infused in a little hot stock, allowing them to release their full aroma and colour.

The result will be a deeply Mediterranean brothy rice with an intensely flavoured stock, perfectly cooked rice and a balanced combination of fish, seafood and vegetables.

A Mediterranean classic transformed into a gastronomic experience.

Tender rice, intensely flavoured fish stock, monkfish, squid, prawns, clams and langoustines: the authentic taste of the Mediterranean served as a comforting bowl of rice.

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