Arroz Valenciana

This dish was also a big hit when our family gathers on special occasions. I still remember the day when this dish was taught by my aunt to me. She said, "This very rich dish was only served to the wealthy during the Spanish era. Until now we still could not afford to buy a few strands of saffron to make it authentic. So the Filipinos decided to make a budget friendly version. And this was your grandfather's spinoff also taught to me when I was still young. Learn it well and make people smile." 

Hope this makes you smile.

Ingredients:

2 kg chicken, cut into serving pieces
3 teaspoons anatto seeds or 1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup red bell peppers sliced into 1/2-inch-wide strips
4 pieces Chorizo de Bilbao, sliced into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
3 cups rice, boiled in 3 cups water
1/4 kg pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/2 teaspoon salt                                           
1/2 cup olive oil                                          
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic                                    
6 potatoes, peeled and quartered                                    
1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives                                

3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced crosswise                               

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup chopped onion
2 cups canned or prepared chick peas (garbanzos)
1 cup tomato sauce
4 cups water 
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Season chicken and pork with salt and pepper. Fry in olive oil in a stockpot until brown. Set aside the chicken and pork pieces. In the same stockpot, fry the anatto seeds in the remaining oil to give a golden-orange color, then discard seeds. Saute garlic onion and tomato sauce until mixture has taken on a sauce consistency. Add potatoes, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, sliced Chorizo de Bilbao and 4 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to low. Add bell pepper and chick peas (garbanzos). When the bell pepper and peas lose their crispness, remove 1 cup of stock from the pot and set aside. Add cooked rice, fried pork and chicken to the stockpot. Mix thoroughly until well blended. Add reserved stock and cook uncovered over low heat until mixture becomes dry. Serve on a large platter and garnish with pimento-stuffed green olives and sliced hard-boiled eggs.

As an option, serve with lemon wedges.