Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 3 votes

Arroz con Bacalao

Arroz con bacalao, or rice with salted cod is a delicious one-pot meal popular throughout the Spanish speaking islands, including Panama.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Caribbean

Ingredients

For the arroz con bacalao
  • 2 cups rice (preferably short or medium grain rice, for paella or arborio for risotto)
  • ½ lb salted cod , chopped
  • 2 tablespoons achiote oil or olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 2 cups recaito (recipe below)
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • salt
  • black pepper
For the Recaito
  • 1 green bell pepper , seeded and sliced
  • 1 green hot chili pepper , seeded and sliced
  • 1 onion , cut into strips
  • 5 cloves garlic , peeled
  • ½ bunch cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pepper

Instructions

Arroz con Bacalao
    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare salt cod (see below).
  2. Infuse the saffron in a a couple tablespoons of boiling water.
  3. Saute recaito and garlic in achiote oil or olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  4. Add cod and capers and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
  6. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
  7. While the mixture is simmering, rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
  8. Add the rice, stir and reduce heat to medium.
  9. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Salt cod
  1. Cut salt cod into blocks and put them in a colander.
  2. Immerse the colander into a large container filled with water.
  3. Soak for up to 24 hours, changing the water as often as possible.
Recaito
  1. Chop all ingredients in a food processor