A Spanish Dish!

We're in Aranjuez, Spain, where the Spanish Revolution broke out 200 years ago. A suitable venue for revolutionary modern cuisine, thought Rodrigo de la Calle. He opened his restaurant here a year ago - suitably called 'R de la Calle". Now gourmets come from far and wide to dine there.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

10 Saffron threads

80 grams Ice plant, diced (Alternately, use firm vegetables like artichokes, broccoli, or fine green asparagus)

5 grams sea urchin caviar (alternately a finely chopped oyster)

4 Sea anemones (alternately mussels)

1 litre Fish broth made of hake or monkfish browned in the oven. (Boil up and add some saffron)

250 grams Rice

1 teaspoon Salsa Salmorreta (spicy pepper-tomato sauce)

Stir-fry 2 cloves of garlic and 1 big spring onion in olive oil. After that, boil 1 dried chilli pepper until it is softened. Purée with 3 peeled tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Preparation:

Sauté the ice plant or alternate vegetable in olive oil. Add the rice, the Salmorreta and saffron.

Add the fish stock and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the sea urchin caviar, and set it aside for a minute.

During this time, deep-fry the breaded sea anemone at 180° Celsius.

To serve, put the rice on a plate and garnish with raw desert vegetables. Arrange the sea anemone or mussels on top.

Information on the ice plant:

The Ice plant "Mesembryanthemum crystallinum", also known as the Crystalline Iceplant, is a little-known succulent. It is a member of the 'Aizoaceae' family of flowering plants.

Usually found in the Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira, and southern Africa, it is also cultivated in East Frisia (Germany) and in The Netherlands.