Arròs amb Fesols i Naps

Arròs amb fesols i naps is Valencian, a winter arròs caldós from the huerta and the comarques of La Safor and La Marina: round rice, white beans, turnips, and pork cooked loose enough to eat with a spoon. It is not paella, and it doesn't want the dry, separate finish of paella. This is cocina de cuchara, spoon food, with the rice going in only at the end.

The method that decides it is the broth before the rice. Beans and pork must simmer until the beans are creamy and the liquid tastes finished; only then do you add the rice. If the broth is thin, the rice has nothing to drink. If the rice goes in too early, it swells while the beans are still hard. No drama, just order.

If you're far from Valencia, use a small dried white bean such as cannellini or Great Northern, soaked overnight, and small firm turnips, or rutabaga if napicol is what you can mimic. Valencia rice, Senia, J. Sendra, or Bahia is right; bomba works with more water, and arborio at a pinch will be creamier and less clear. No hace falta haber pisado España. Measure the broth before the rice goes in, pésalo, no lo adivines. Siempre sale, si lo sigues. My Margin says only this: leave it soupy, the rice is greedy.