spring hill ranch's poor man's rice (raz gaxuxua)
We lived in northern Nevada for a long time, which means Basque country. That equates to wonderful, wonderful people and hearty rustic and delicious foods! One of my favorite dishes from the mountains between France and Spain is raz gaxuxa, which is pronounced “rahs ga-choo'-cha” and translates to poor man's rice. As a risotto-style dish, this can require some tending to the rice. But is it easy? Absolutely. And is it delicious? Insanely! I mean, after all...it's Basque food!
prep time
30 Min
cook time
50 Min
method
Stove Top
yield
4 serving(s)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large Apanish (or yellow) onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves, chopped
- 5 - 8 ounces Spanish chorizo*
- 5 ounces bayonne ham or ventrèche**, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
- 1 medium green bell pepper, julienned
- 1 1/2 cups un-rinsed long grain rice
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground espelette pepper***
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock, divided
- 2 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, optional
How To Make spring hill ranch's poor man's rice (raz gaxuxua)
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Step 1Notes: *Do not use Mexican chorizo, as it is a totally different thing. You can substitute Portuguese chorizo or linguiça. **You can substitute Italian pancetta. ***You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
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Step 2In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent and slightly golden. -
Step 3Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until cooked on the outside.
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Step 4Stir in the chorizo and ventrèche and cook for 5 minutes, until sizzling and fragrant.
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Step 5Stir in the bell peppers and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Step 6Stir in the rice, black pepper, and espelette pepper. Toast the rice for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the rice becomes translucent.
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Step 7Pour in half of the chicken stock; it should cover all the rice. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is almost fully absorbed. A ladle or so at a time, add more stock, stirring occasionally and wait until the liquid in the pan is just about fully absorbed before adding the next ladle. Continue until the rice is fully cooked and the liquid is almost all absorbed (not completely, but almost).
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Step 8Stir the hard-cooked eggs into the rice. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until all the liquid is absorbed. If you lean toward thew Spanish side of the Basque country, stir in the green olives. Check for seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve immediately.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
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