From Albert Bevia:
As for the vegetables, I used onion, garlic, zucchini, red bell pepper, and carrots. You can mix it up and use other types of vegetables or whatever you have on hand. As for the zucchini, I sautéed it first and then removed it. Then added it back towards the end so it doesn’t get a mushy texture and fall apart.

TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: You want to make sure to mix the rice every 2 to 3 minutes. This way it releases its starch. This, along with the extra liquid, is what gives this dish that creamy texture. This dish will hold for up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

CREAMY Turmeric Rice with Vegetables | Arroz Meloso con Curcuma y Verduras

Watch Albert preparing this recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fKOBsAy-3s

Ingredients

• 1 liter vegetable broth 4 1/4 cups
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 carrot
• 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 grams
• 1/2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 1.25 grams
• 1 cup short-grain rice 190 grams
• 2 tsp lemon juice 10 ml
• sea salt & black pepper
• chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Cut the zucchini into 1/4 inch (0.625 cm) thick rounds, finely chop the onion, roughly chop the garlic, finely chop the carrot (peeled), and cut the red bell pepper into small strips
2. Add the broth into a saucepan and heat with a medium heat
3. At the same time, heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil
4. After a couple of minutes, add the sliced zucchini into the hot fry pan, mix it together, and then mix every 1 to 2 minutes
5. Once the zucchini is lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, remove it from the pan and set aside
6. Using the same pan with the same heat, add in the chopped onion, garlic, carrot, and red bell pepper, mix continuously, after 4 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sautéed, add in the turmeric, paprika, and season with salt & pepper, mix together, then add in the rice and mix continuously
7. After sautéing the rice for 2 minutes, gently add in the simmering vegetable broth and mix together, then mix every 2 to 3 minutes, as this will help release the starch in the rice
8. After simmering the rice for 16 minutes, which in my case was 2 minutes shy of the rice being cooked through, add the sliced zucchini back into the pan and mix it together, simmer for another 2 minutes or until the rice is cooked through, then turn off the heat, add in the lemon juice, and give one final mix
9. Transfer into shallow bowls, and top off with chopped cilantro, enjoy!
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From Albert Bevia:
To make this recipe, I used a long purple eggplant. But you can use any type of eggplant you like. The most important thing is to salt your sliced eggplant and let it rest for 15 minutes. By taking this step, it will extract the water. That way, once you cook it, it doesn’t get mushy, and it keeps its beautiful, firm texture.

TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: I served the fried eggplant next to salmorejo as a dipping sauce. Salmorejo is a typical tomato and bread soup from the province of Córdoba. And traditionally, it is served with this fried eggplant. To make the salmorejo, I used a food processor. But you can also use a stand-up blender or a hand blender.

CRISPY Fried Eggplant with Salmorejo

Watch Albert preparing this recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f63u0LgCMFk

Ingredients

FOR THE FRIED EGGPLANT

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 120 ml
• 1 eggplant
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour 60 grams
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs 60 grams
• sea salt & black pepper

FOR THE TOMATO AND BREAD SAUCE

• 4 tomatoes 1 lbs. / 450 grams
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3.5 oz day old baguette 100 grams
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
• sea salt & black pepper

EXTRAS

• chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Cut the eggplant into rounds that are a 1/4 inch thick (0.625 cm), then cut each one in half to end up with half-moon shapes, add the sliced eggplant into a large bowl and season generously with salt, set aside for 15 minutes
2. In the meantime, make the salmorejo (tomato and bread soup), cut each tomato into 4 pieces, then add them into a food processor, along with the cloves of garlic, and season with salt & pepper, run the food processor for 30 seconds or until you get a puree
3. Cut the baguette into slices, add them into the food processor with the tomato puree, and run the food processor for 30 seconds or until you get a thick puree, then with the motor running, slowly add in the olive oil, taste for seasoning, then cover with Saran wrap and add into the fridge
4. After leaving the sliced eggplant for 15 minutes, transfer the slices over some paper towels and pat completely dry, scraping off any excess salt if there is too much
5. Add the flour into a bowl, crack the eggs into a separate bowl, season with salt & pepper, and whisk together, add the bread crumbs into a third separate bowl
6. Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil
7. While the oil is heating, coat the slices of eggplant first in the flour, then into the egg wash, and finally into the bread crumbs
8. Add the coated slices of eggplant into the fry pan, all in a single layer, cook in batches, fry for 3 minutes per side or until golden and crispy, transfer into a dish with paper towels as you finish each batch
9. To assemble the dish, mix the tomato and bread sauce with a spoon, then add some into a bowl and over a serving dish, decorate the fried eggplant around it, and sprinkle with chopped parsley, serve at once, enjoy!