
Rick Stein tucks into the nation's cook book, savouring the UK's favourite food. From farm to fork, Rick Stein's Food Stories explores age-old traditions and modern tastes. Today, let's dig in this Spanish-inspired, mouth-watering dish: Arroz Roja (Red Rice).
8 langoustines shells
1 tbsp olive oil
1 chopped small onion
1 chopped carrot
1 chopped celery stick
60ml/4 tbsp white wine
1.5 litres/2⅔ pints fish stock
fresh tarragon sprig
150g/5½oz roughly chopped tomatoes
6 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp tomato purée
250g/9oz ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped into 1cm pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of chilli flakes
400g/14oz short-grain paella rice
300g/10½oz haddock fillet, skin on
8 langoustines
aioli
small handful fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
1Start by peeling the langoustines. Set aside the flesh and roughly chop the heads and shells for the stock later.
2For the shellfish stock, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Gently fry the onion, carrot and celery for a few minutes until softened.
3Add the chopped langoustine heads and shells and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the white wine, bring to the boil and cook for a minute, then add the fish stock or water, tarragon and tomatoes.
4Cook for 40 minutes, then push everything through a fine sieve over a large pan, pressing with a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as you can (top with water if needed).
5In a large frying pan or a shallow flameproof casserole dish, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for a minute without browning.
6Stir in the paprika, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, chopped red pepper, chilli flakes, shellfish stock and rice, then season with salt and pepper.
7Stir once, then bring up to the boil and simmer vigorously for about 6 minutes. Turn the heat down and cook for a further 12 minutes, until the stock is absorbed and the rice is pitted with small holes.
8Heat the remaining olive oil in a separate pan over a medium–high heat. Add the haddock, skin–side down, and cook until the flesh is opaque. Add the langoustine meat and cook for about 30 seconds or so until pink, turning them once.

Divide the rice between four bowls and top each with a piece of haddock and two langoustines. Garnish with chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon, if you like. And Rick Stein's favourite add-on: a splash of aioli to add some "pizzazz" to your dish!