Alicante places the 'arroz mascletà' as the best in the Mediterranean

High heat to fire the last bombardment. The thunders change to bubbles at the end of cooking. The result offers an explosion of flavor in the mouth. This is the 'arroz mascletà', chosen as the best in the Mediterranean this Saturday at Alicante Gastronómica.

The San Vicente chef Roque González is the creator of this recipe, which features a seafood broth made with morralla, atún de zorra, and a touch of fig, capable of elevating J. Sendra rice to the highest category. «Hence the concept mascletà».

The jury of this fifth edition of the best Mediterranean rice contest selected this recipe from among the ten finalists, chosen in various elimination rounds held at Carrefour centers in the province of Alicante.

The finalists of this edition were Fernando Manchón, Miguel Carreño, Javier Sánchez, Carlos Mestre, Antonio Manzano, Moisés Osorio, Esteban Julio, Rubén Valetín, and Andrea Zanin. All of them were selected in contests held in Petrer, Torrevieja, Benidorm, Elche, and Sant Joan d'Alacant.

The jury was composed of Elena Vidal (content creator), Susi Diaz (La Finca), Javier Torres (Cocina Hermanos Torres), Andrea Tumbarello (Don Giovanni), Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Loreto Riera (winner of Masterchef jr10), Alberto Martín (Masterchef 12), Joaquín Baeza (Baeza&Rufete), Josetxo Pajares (winner of Paella de Sueca 21 contest), Salva Llinares (Grupo Forty), and Noelia Pascual (winner of World Paella Day 21).

The president of the jury, Susi Díaz, highlighted the «high level of the contest» and the difficulty in determining the winner and predicted that in future editions there will be second and third places. «Because we have to say that all the rice dishes are perfect, even in the most difficult aspects, which are cooking and flavor».

This Sunday will be held the final in the children's category of the Rice Contest, which will follow the same dynamics. Its finalists were also selected in preliminary rounds held at various Carrefour brand establishments in the province and will compete for the final prize among the ten selected.