Arroz de Marisco (Portuguese Seafood Rice)

Method

1. Soak the clams in cold salted water (1 tablespoon of salt per litre), covered and in the dark, for 30 min so they spit out their sand, then rub them together under running water. Scrub the mussels and pull off the stringy beards. Make a shallow cut along the back of each prawn to remove the dark vein, but leave the shells on for a richer broth. Finely chop the onion and green pepper (0.5 cm), mince the garlic, and grate the halved tomatoes on a box grater, discarding the skins.

2. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy 24 cm pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook for 7 min, until soft and translucent rather than browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant; burnt garlic turns bitter.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil 2 tbspOnion 1Green bell pepper ½Garlic cloves 2

   medium heat

3. Add the grated tomato, paprika, bay leaf and chilli flakes (if using) and cook on medium heat for 5 min, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated and it looks thick and jammy with a little oil showing at the edges. This is the flavour base of the broth.

   Add in this stepRipe tomatoes (or tinned whole tomatoes) 1Sweet paprika ½ tspBay leaf 1Chilli flakes (optional) to taste

   medium heat

4. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol, then add the hot fish stock and bring to the boil over high heat. Add the rice, stir once, lower the heat to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered for 10 min, stirring now and then so it doesn't catch. The grains should still have a slight bite in the centre.

   Add in this stepDry white wine 60 mlFish stock, kept hot 850 mlMedium-grain rice (Portuguese Carolino or arborio) 160 g

   high heat→medium-low heat

5. Lay the clams and mussels on top of the rice, cover and cook on medium heat for 3 min until the shells open. Push the prawns down into the broth, cover again and cook for 3 min more, until they are pink all over and curled. Pick out any clams or mussels that have stayed shut.

   Add in this stepClams (live) 300 gMussels (live) 250 gMedium prawns, shell on 200 g

   medium heat

6. Turn off the heat, season with salt, scatter over the roughly chopped coriander and remove the bay leaf. Cover and leave for just 2 min, then ladle into deep bowls with plenty of broth. Arroz de marisco is meant to be soupy and eaten with a spoon; the rice keeps drinking the broth, so serve it straight away.

   Add in this stepSalt to tasteFresh coriander (cilantro) 10 g