From Pt to you - Arroz de Tamboril

Hi there!!! 🙂

I am back and once again and this time with a Portuguese main course. #surprise #surprise

This dish, like many of the ones I sometimes prepare when time allows, came to mind for some reasons:

I am a fish lover;
I miss having other fishes but salmon on my diet;
This brings me back memories;
Makes home closer.

Before I continue with my babbling, the dish I’m talking about is called Arroz de Tamboril (in PT) or Monkfish’s rice (literally translated to English).

Here where I live, there’s a fish market once a week where people can buy all kind of fresh and smoked fishes, as well as seafood. The problem is the market is on a Friday morning… Very convenient for those poor mortals who have to work 5 days/week…. like me! So basically, I can only visit this market once or twice a year if I’m lucky with my days off from work.

Therefore, as soon as there was a chance, I grabbed my PT-ENG fish names’ list and translated the ones I was planning on getting to Dutch. Also brought my personal Google Translator, just in case… hahaha

Long story short, they did have Tamboril (or monkfish, or zeeduivel for the Dutchies out there). I believe I almost jumped of happiness when the salesman said he had the fish I wanted! Yeah, I know… weeeeirdooo!

Knowing that Mr. A had never had this before, and me craving it for a long while, I didn’t wait too long until I got my apron on! 😉

So, this is what it takes to cook this recipe (serves 4)

1 medium size monkfish, chopped in big chunks.
1 medium red onion.
2 garlic cloves.
1/2 red pepper, sliced finely.
1/2 green pepper, sliced finely.
1 bay leaf.
5 medium size tomatoes.
1 small can of Heinz tomato pure.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Coriander.
White wine.
Rice of your choice

How to?

Prepare the veggies in advance, by chopping all of them in fine slices, except the tomatoes. I cut mine in 1/8 pieces.
Add olive oil to your pan and once it gets warm, add the onion, garlic and bay leaf. Wait until getting transparent while stirring it every now and then.
Add the peppers; stir until almost soft.
Add the tomato pure and pepper to taste. Let it cook for a few minutes in medium fire/heat.
Add the tomato cubes and let it cook until soft.
Time for the fish; gently involve it with the veggie mix. Add a bit of whine and top it with water and let it cook for about 7min.
Add the rice (I added 1.5 cups) and some salt to your taste.
Let it cook until rice becomes soft and creamy.
(Optional) Add some shrimps.