This super tasty, and easy, Portuguese rice dish is perfect for a rainy British night in. Turn on the fireplace, pour yourself a nice glass of red wine and two hours later, you will have the most delicious tender rib flavoured rice ever. The meat stews away in a tomato and red wine broth which is later used to cook the rice.
In Portugal, grelos, called rapini and also known as broccoli rabe, is most often used. Unfortunately, I can't find it locally, so I use broccolini, also known as tenderstem broccoli, as a good substitute.
Do not let the long cooking time put you off, I promise it will be worth it. It also is hands off, so you throw it in and forget it, just until the last 25 minutes of cooking when the rice is added. Served, "malandrinho", in Portugal it refers to brothy, saucy rice. It shouldn't be dry.
I also like to use parboiled rice. It is known as easy-cook long grain rice here in the UK.
A very popular brand is Uncle Ben's. It just has the perfect texture and never turns out sticky.
This rice is perfect on it's own or served alongside a roast pork loin.
Enjoy xoxo
Pork Rib Rice with Broccolini Tomato and Red Wine ❦ Arroz de Entrecosto com Grelos Tomate e Vinho Tinto
Serves 6
Takes 2 hours , *can be made ahead to 25 minutes before serving, see step 3
400 g. Pork ribs
300 g. Broccolini or Tenderstem broccoli
50 g. Portuguese or Spanish chorizo, casing removed and cut into bite size pieces
400 g. ( 1 can) Italian peeled plum tomatoes undrained
1 Medium onion, diced
6 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 Bay leaves
1 tbsp. Sweet paprika
1 tsp. Ground ginger
1 tsp. Dried Herbs de Provence
1000 ml. Chicken stock
250 ml. Red wine, can substitute white, but red better
70 ml. Red wine vinegar ( very important)
60 ml. Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 Bunch fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, 4 whole sprigs during cooking, the rest finely chopped to finish
1. In a cast iron pot or other heavy bottomed one, add extra virgin olive oil, onions, chorizo, pork ribs, parsley sprigs, bay leaves and garlic.
Crank heat to high and saute everything together while stirring often until onions and pork are a bit browned. Stir often to prevent garlic burning. About 7 minutes.
2. Add vinegar, pan will sizzle and vinegar will reduce rapidly. Reduce heat to a medium/low simmer and Immediately add tomatoes, wine, stock and spices. Stir, cover and let cook for
1 hour and 20 minutes.
3. After 1 hour and 20 minutes, add broccolini. Cover and let cook 15 minutes.
*At this point you can turn off heat if not planning on serving rice immediately. You can let cool and refrigerate for the next day also. When ready to serve, simply reheat and, once hot, continue to steps 4 and 5 below, adding rice. The rice should be brothy, so it is best cooked just before serving.
4. After 15 minutes, add rice, stir and cover for the final 25 minutes of cooking.
5. Turn off heat. Discard bay leaves.
Stir in parsley and ladle into bowls. Serve immediately.
