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Arroz de marisco
Soupy seafood rice
Arroz de marisco: soupy seafood rice with prawns, clams and mussels in a coriander-scented tomato broth
This is not paella. Portuguese arroz de marisco is wet and soupy, eaten with a spoon straight from the pot, and Lisbon families order a big one to share at seafood restaurants on a Sunday, waiting while it is made fresh. The rice simmers in a rich tomato and shellfish broth, then prawns, clams and mussels go in at the end so they stay tender. White wine is traditional and contains alcohol; use more stock instead. A common mistake is letting it stand: the rice keeps drinking the broth, so serve it the moment it is ready. Chef's tip: make the broth from the prawn heads and shells; it is where most of the flavour comes from.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the shellfish
- 1 ⅛ lb raw shell-on prawns
- 1 ⅛ lb live clamspurged in salted water
- 1 ⅛ lb live musselsscrubbed, beards pulled off
For the rice
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 3 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 green pepperdiced
- 3 ripe tomatoespeeled and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup dry white wineor more stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 bunch fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Check the 1 ⅛ lb live clams and 1 ⅛ lb live mussels: discard any with cracked shells and any open ones that don't close when tapped.
Step 2: Peel the 1 ⅛ lb raw shell-on prawns, keeping the heads and shells. Cover the prawns and keep them in the fridge.
Step 3: Put the heads and shells in a pan with 6 ¼ cups water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes, pressing the heads to release their juices. Strain into a clean pan and keep hot.
20 minStep 4: Put the clams and mussels in a dry lidded pan over a high heat for 3–4 minutes until they open. Discard any that stay shut, and pour their juices into the stock.
4 minStep 5: Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium heat and cook 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic and 1 green pepper for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
8 minStep 6: Add 3 ripe tomatoes and 1 bay leaf and cook for 5 minutes until jammy, then add ½ cup dry white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
7 minStep 7: Stir in 10 ½ oz medium-grain rice (carolino or risotto) to coat, then pour in about 1.2 litres of the hot stock with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp piri-piri or dried chilli flakes. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the rice is almost tender.
15 minStep 8: Add the prawns and simmer 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque, then return the clams and mussels. The rice should be tender but with a little bite and swimming in broth like a thick soup; add more stock if needed.
3 minStep 9: Stir in 1 bunch fresh coriander, taste for salt and serve at once in deep plates.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arroz de marisco take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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