Luis Valls is the head chef at El Poblet, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Valencia founded by Quique Dacosta. Renowned for his sensitivity to local ingredients and his reinterpretation of Valencian culinary tradition, Valls blends technical mastery with conceptual depth, drawing on taste memory from a territorial perspective. In his cuisine, citrus fruits play a key role in reimagining historic recipes through a contemporary lens. His deep respect for the Valencian recipe heritage and his talent for giving it new dimensions have made Valls one of the most internationally respected voices in the gastronomy of the Valencian Community.

All i Pebre Rice with preserved lemons

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 kg smoked eel

500 g bomba rice

200 g fried marcona almonds

Preserved salted fermented lemon

For the all i pebre broth:

800 g eel broth (made with the bones of smoked eel, flesh, vegetables, chickpeas and hen)

800 g seafood broth

4 garlic cloves

10 g parsley

1 dried cayenne (seedless)

2 g pimentón de La Vera

For the all i pebre glaze:

400 g all i pebre broth

2.5 gelatin sheets

1.3 g agar-agar

1 potato

Preparation:

Cut the eel into 8 small cubes for the rice.

To make the broth, bring both broths to a simmer in a pot. Slice the garlic and sauté it with the cayenne over low heat. Add the paprika and parsley, then pour in the broth. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Cover with cling film and let infuse for 40 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Slice the potato into 2 cm thick rounds and cut them into star shapes. Cook them in the all i pebre broth for 3 minutes. Remove and drain. Add the agar-agar to the broth. Soften the gelatin sheets in cold water and add them in. Bring to a boil and pour into a tray. Add the potato stars and let it set. Cut circular shapes using a pastry cutter, separate the glazes and place on greaseproof paper.

Cook the rice in 2 L of all i pebre broth for 18 minutes. At the last moment, add the quartered almonds and diced eel.

Plating:

Serve the rice and eel. Place the glaze on top. Garnish with crispy eel skin and salted lemon.