Arroz de Marisco

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide heavy-bottomed pan or cataplana (at least 30cm diameter)
• •Large pot for stock
• •Deep serving bowls
• •Shell crackers for the crab

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the shellfish stock

   If using whole prawns, remove the heads and shells, reserving them. Simmer the heads and shells in the fish stock for 20 minutes to build depth. Strain and keep warm. This is the foundation of your flavor. If you're using pre-made stock, warm it and bloom the saffron threads in a ladleful while you work.

   Never waste the prawn heads. They contain all the fat and flavor. Portuguese grandmothers would be horrified if you threw them away.
2. 2

   Build the refogado

   In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or cataplana, heat the azeite over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper. Cook another 3 minutes until fragrant. This slow refogado is everything. Rush it and you've built your house on sand.

   The pan matters. Use the widest, heaviest pan you have. The rice needs surface area to cook evenly and stay malandrinho.
3. 3

   Add the tomato base

   Stir in the grated tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the paprika and piri-piri. Let this cook down for 5 minutes until the tomato darkens slightly and the oil begins to separate at the edges. You're building layers. Add the wine and let it bubble away for 2 minutes.

4. 4

   Toast the rice

   Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat every grain in the refogado. Let it toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. You should hear a gentle sizzle. Add the bay leaf and the saffron with its soaking liquid. This is when the kitchen starts to smell like a celebration.

5. 5

   Begin cooking the rice

   Add about two-thirds of the warm stock. Stir once to distribute everything evenly, then let it simmer uncovered over medium heat. Do not stir constantly like risotto. Stir occasionally, adding more warm stock as it absorbs. The rice should always be swimming, never dry. This takes about 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the shellfish in stages

   When the rice is half-cooked (still firm in the center, about 10 minutes in), nestle the crab pieces and clams into the rice. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Add the mussels, cover again for another 3 minutes. Finally, add the prawns on top, pushing them slightly into the rice. Cover and cook until the prawns are pink and all shells have opened, about 4 minutes more. Discard any clams or mussels that refuse to open.

   Timing the seafood is the test. Clams take longest, prawns cook fastest. Add them in stages so nothing overcooks. Rubbery prawns are a tragedy.
7. 7

   Finish malandrinho

   Remove from heat. The rice should be loose and wet, almost soupy. This is malandrinho: not a risotto, not a pilaf, but rice swimming in flavorful broth. If it looks too thick, add a splash more warm stock. Taste and adjust salt. Scatter most of the coentros over the top, reserving some for serving.

8. 8

   Serve immediately

   Bring the pan directly to the table. This is not a dish to plate individually. Set it in the center and let everyone serve themselves, spooning rice and broth and shellfish into deep bowls. Finish with the remaining coentros and lemon wedges on the side. Arroz de marisco waits for no one. Eat it now, while the shells are still releasing steam.

Chef Tips

• •The rice must be short-grain. Carolino is traditional, arborio works. Long-grain rice cannot absorb enough broth to achieve malandrinho texture. Don't improvise here.
• •Make your own stock from prawn heads if you can. The flavor difference is remarkable. Otherwise, use the best fish stock you can find. Never use water.
• •Keep extra warm stock on the side. The rice continues to absorb liquid even off the heat. You may need to loosen it at the table.
• •Buy the best seafood you can afford. This dish has nowhere to hide. If your prawns aren't fresh, everyone will know.
• •Saffron is traditional in southern versions, optional in northern ones. I use it because the color is beautiful and the flavor is worth the expense. A little goes far.

Advance Preparation

• •The shellfish stock can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Warm it before using.
• •Clean and prep all seafood up to 4 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated on ice.
• •The refogado base can be made several hours ahead, stopped before adding rice. Reheat gently before continuing.
• •This dish cannot be fully made ahead. The rice must be served immediately or it will absorb all the broth and lose its malandrinho texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 420g)