Arroz de la huerta, the Spanish name of this dish, translates rather poetically as “rice from the vegetable garden.” Fresh artichokes are a common addition, but we keep our version easy and accessible and use fresh vegetables that are easier to prep: alliums, tomatoes, cauliflower and baby spinach. Saffron lends a golden hue to the grains and suffuses it with an aroma and flavor that is so very Spanish. We like the deeper, richer taste of the rice made with chicken broth but if you wish to keep the dish vegetarian, vegetable broth works perfectly well.
Don’t use regular round tomatoes. Plum tomatoes contain less moisture than round tomatoes and are the better choice for this dish. Also, don’t be alarmed by the quantity of spinach. Once wilted, the leaves will easily combine with the rice mixture.