Peruvian
Arroz con Mariscos
Separate grains of ají-stained rice carry tender shrimp, fish, squid, and mussels, brightened with peas, red pepper, cilantro, and lime.
4 servings · 35 minutes prep · 45 minutes cook
Ingredients
Ají rice
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water is mostly clear, then drained well
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp ají panca paste
- 2 tbsp ají amarillo paste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 1/2 cups hot low-sodium fish or shellfish stock
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Seafood and finish
- 8 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz firm white fish, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 oz cleaned squid, bodies cut into rings; tentacles separated
- 12 live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 red bell pepper, diced small
- 1/2 cup peas, thawed if frozen
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Directions
Sear the seafood
- Pat large shrimp, firm white fish fillets, and squid very dry. Season them evenly with the seafood salt.
- Heat half of neutral oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. Sear the shrimp until just pink outside, 45-60 seconds per side; remove. Sear the fish until lightly golden but still translucent at the center, about 1 minute per side; remove. Flash-sear the squid until it just curls, 45 seconds; remove.
Build the aderezo and rice
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil with red onion and red bell pepper. Cook until soft and beginning to color, 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic cloves, aji panca paste, aji amarillo paste, tomato paste, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is dark brick-red, glossy, and no longer smells raw, 4-5 minutes.
- Add long grain white rice and stir until every grain is coated, 1 minute. Pour in dry white wine and reduce until the skillet is nearly dry, then add fish or shellfish stock and the rice salt.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes without stirring. Quickly nestle mussels into the rice, cover again, and cook until the rice is almost tender and the mussels open, 5-7 minutes. Discard any mussel that remains closed.
Finish without overcooking
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Scatter in peas, the reserved shrimp, fish, and squid; cover and rest for 5 minutes. The fish should reach {{temperature:145F}}, the shrimp should be opaque, and the squid should remain tender.
- Fold gently once with cilantro and lime juice. Rest uncovered for 2 minutes if any liquid remains, then serve with lime wedges. The rice should mound with separate grains and no broth puddle.
