Montanejos, Castellón

My first blog and it's all about autumnal nature and produce in the Castellón region, I also include a simple, seasonal local rice dish that I cooked for me and my friends after a wonderful long day out in Montanejos, Fuente de los Baños, Olba and San Vicente de Piedrahita. I've also included a Valencian style vegetable stock which is a must for many Valencian vegetable dishes.

Montanejos is a spa town one hour and 15 minutes by car from Valencia. There on the Rio Mijares you find the Fuente de los Baños where you can swim in thermal spring waters which maintain a temperature of 25c all year around.

We also visited the monthly

community market in Olba which has local fruit, vegetables, homemade food and crafts.

Then back to San Vicente de Piedrahita for sunset and dinner using the gorgeous local produce! A beautiful day!

Arroz meloso with fennel, chard and spinach.

Serves 4

Arroz meloso is a creamy consistency a bit like an Italian risotto. The secret to this dish is the homemade stock! It has no cream, butter or cheese. The vegetables can be varied by season. I made this one very simply, but other ingredients could be added like saffron, tomato and or smoked paprika.  I wanted to flavour of the fennel and green vegetables to shine in this dish.

300g Valencian short grain rice

900ml vegetable stock, hot

1 small onion, chopped

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 small chilli, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 fennel bulb, chopped

1 bunch of chard, chopped

1 bunch of spinach, chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Sauté the spinach and chard in some olive oil very briefly, set aside.

In the same pot, sauté the garlic, onion and chilli with the bay leaf and a little salt.

When soft and fragrant add the rice and stir through.

Add the hot stock and cook and stir for around 15 mins, until the rice is just cooked and the liquid is nearly all absorbed.

Add the spinach and chard back in and stir until creamy.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Rice dishes, soups and Fideua are all made with a base of homemade stock, I feel at home in a Spanish kitchen when I walk in and smell a beautiful stock cooking.

2 leeks

2 tomatoes

2 small parsnips

2 turnips

2 celery sticks

1 onion

half cabbage

4 carrots

Black pepper

2 bay leaves

Parsley

5 liters of water

Salt

Wash vegetables and remove any rough parts because the vegetables can also be used in soups.

Place the vegetables whole and the seasonings in the 5 litre of water, bring to the boil then reduce and simmer for an hour.

Strain vegetables and keep the liquid for stock.