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Caldero del Mar Menor
Caldero del Mar Menor: fish rice cooked in a ñora pepper broth, with the fish and allioli served alongside
Fishermen on the Mar Menor lagoon and at Cabo de Palos cooked caldero on board in a black iron pot: the catch of rockfish and grey mullet made a broth red with fried ñora peppers, the rice was cooked in it, and the fish was eaten separately with garlicky allioli. Restaurants along the lagoon at San Pedro del Pinatar and Los Alcázares still serve it in two courses, and Calasparra rice from inland Murcia is the classic choice. Chef's tip: ask the fishmonger for the heads and bones of the fish too; they make the broth.
- Total time
- 115 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the broth and fish
For the rice
For the allioli
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the ½ cup olive oil in a large deep pot over a medium-low heat. Fry the 4 dried ñora peppers for 20–30 seconds a side, just until they darken slightly and smell toasty, then lift them out. A common mistake is leaving them a moment too long: burnt ñoras make the whole caldero bitter.
2 minStep 2: Fry the 1 head garlic cloves in the same oil for 2 minutes until golden, lift out and pound or blend with the ñoras and a splash of water to a smooth red paste.
5 minStep 3: Add the 2 ripe tomatoes to the oil and cook for 5 minutes until thick, then stir in the ñora paste, the fish heads and bones, the 8 ¼ cups water, 1 pinch saffron threads and 2 tsp salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Strain the broth through a sieve into a clean pot, pressing the bones. Bring back to a simmer, add the 1 ⅛ lb waxy potatoes and cook for 15 minutes.
18 minStep 5: Add the pieces of 3 ⅓ lb whole rockfish such as gurnard, scorpionfish, grey mullet or sea bream and poach gently for 6–8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque all the way through and flakes when pressed. Lift out the fish and potatoes onto a warm platter, cover and keep warm.
8 minStep 6: For the allioli, pound the 3 cloves garlic with the ¼ tsp salt to a paste, then whisk in the 1 pasteurised egg yolk. Add the ¾ cup mild olive oil drop by drop at first, then in a thin stream, whisking until thick; finish with the 1 tsp lemon juice. Using a pasteurised yolk keeps it safe; with raw egg it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system.
10 minStep 7: Measure 1.4 litres of the broth into a wide pan or the iron caldero and bring to the boil. Add the 14 oz Calasparra or bomba rice, stir once to spread it out, and cook over a high heat for 8 minutes, then medium-low for 9–10 minutes more without stirring, until the grains are tender and the broth is absorbed but the rice is still moist.
18 minStep 8: Rest the rice for 5 minutes. Serve it first, with allioli, then the fish and potatoes as a second course, with the rest of the allioli and a little hot broth spooned over.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does caldero del Mar Menor take?
- About 115 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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