Arroz del senyoret is the gentleman's paella: a seafood rice where all the shellfish is peeled before serving, so the eater does not have to do the work.

Arroz del senyoret (literally 'little gentleman's rice') is a Valencian and Alicante variation on seafood paella, where all the prawns, langoustines and squid are peeled and shelled before going into the rice. The dish was reputedly developed in coastal hotel kitchens for diners who did not want to dirty their fingers. The flavour-builder is the seafood stock made from the discarded shells. La Riua and La Pepica both cook canonical versions.

Where to eat Arroz del senyoret in Valencia

2 editor picks for Arroz del senyoret in Valencia, ranked by editorial score. All Valencia signature dishes · Arroz del senyoret across every city.

  • La Riua

    Order The paella valenciana or the arroz a banda; the house Utiel-Requena tinto is honest.

    La Riua on Carrer del Mar in Valencia's old town has run a family-tavern rice kitchen since 1978, now in the third generation, with a dozen paellas.

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  • La Pepica

    Order The paella valenciana with rabbit, chicken and ferraura beans at lunch.

    La Pepica on Passeig de Neptu in Valencia's Malvarrosa beach has served paella since 1898; Hemingway, Queen Sofia and Orson Welles all ate the rice here.

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Make it at home

Serves 41 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 400g bomba rice
  • 400g raw prawns, peeled (shells reserved)
  • 200g squid, cleaned, sliced into rings
  • 200g monkfish, cubed
  • 100g mussels, shells removed (cooked in stock)
  • 1 large ripe tomato, grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • Generous pinch of saffron
  • 1.2 litres seafood stock (from the prawn shells, fish bones)
  • 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt

Method

  1. Make the stock: fry the reserved prawn shells in olive oil for 3 minutes; cover with 1.4 litres water; simmer 30 minutes. Strain.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 40 cm paella pan over high heat. Fry the peeled prawns 1 minute per side; remove. Fry squid for 2 minutes; remove. Fry monkfish for 2 minutes; remove.
  3. Add chopped garlic, then tomato; reduce for 3 minutes.
  4. Add paprika off the heat for 10 seconds.
  5. Pour in 1.2 litres hot strained stock with the saffron; bring to a hard boil. Season with salt.
  6. Add the rice; cook over medium-high for 10 minutes, lower for 8 more minutes.
  7. Return all the peeled seafood to the top of the pan in the last 2 minutes.
  8. Rest 5 minutes covered. Serve with allioli on the side.

Editor tip. The peeled shellfish is the whole point; serve so the diner does not need to use their hands. The shells become the stock; do not discard.

Common allergens: Shellfish, Fish.