Portuguese
Arroz de Marisco
Brothy Portuguese Carolino rice with lobster, shrimp, clams, tomato, white wine, cilantro, and bright lemon.
6 servings · 45 minutes prep · 75 minutes cook
Ingredients
Shellfish stock
- 1 lb shell-on large shrimp, Preferably 21–25 count; reserve the shells and refrigerate the peeled shrimp for the rice.
- Shells from 2 raw cold-water lobster tails, each about 8 oz shell-on, Use tails about 8 oz (225 g) each, shell-on. Reserve and refrigerate their meat for the rice; do not buy extra tails for the meat row.
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 oz yellow onion, Roughly chopped.
- 3 oz carrot, Roughly chopped.
- 2 oz celery, Roughly chopped.
- 2 cloves, Crushed.
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 6 peppercorns
- 7 cups
- 1 tsp kosher salt, Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Clams and steaming liquor
- 2 lb littleneck clams, Small littleneck or Manila clams; tightly closed and scrubbed under cold running water.
- 3/4 cup, Use a dry Portuguese wine such as Arinto or Encruzado.
- 2 cloves, Lightly crushed.
- 4 fresh cilantro stems, Use the stems for steaming the clams.
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Rice and seafood
- peeled shrimp reserved from 1 lb shell-on shrimp, Keep refrigerated after peeling.
- Meat from 2 lobster tails, each about 8 oz shell-on, Use the meat from the same tails listed for the stock, about 8 oz (225 g) shell-on each. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
- 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 oz yellow onion, Finely diced.
- 5 oz red bell pepper, Finely diced.
- 1 tbsp garlic, Minced.
- 0.5 tsp crushed piri-piri, Crushed red-pepper flakes are an acceptable fallback.
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 cup canned whole tomatoes, Include their juices and crush them by hand.
- 1.5 cups Carolino rice
- 1 tsp kosher salt, Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- 0.5 tsp black pepper, Freshly ground.
- 0.5 cup cilantro, Fresh leaves and tender stems, finely chopped.
- 2 tbsp, Freshly squeezed.
- 1 medium lemon, Cut into 6 wedges.
Directions
Prepare the seafood
- Peel shell on large shrimp, leaving the tails attached if desired. Make a shallow cut along each back and remove the dark vein. Refrigerate the peeled peeled shrimp while making the stock.
- Using {{tool:kitchen-shears}}, cut through the underside of each lobster-tail shell. Pull out the lobster tail meat, remove the intestinal vein, and cut the meat into 1-inch pieces. Refrigerate it separately, then briefly rinse the lobster tail shells.
- Inspect the littleneck clams. Discard broken clams and any open clam that does not close when firmly tapped. Refrigerate the sound clams until needed.
Make the shellfish stock
- Heat olive oil in a {{tool:stockpot}} over medium-high heat. Add the reserved shrimp shells and lobster tail shells and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring and pressing them against the pot, until deep pink and sweet-smelling.
- Add the roughly chopped yellow onion, carrot, and celery rib. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic cloves and tomato paste; cook for 2 minutes, until the paste darkens slightly and coats the shells.
- Add bay leaf, the black peppercorns, cold water, and kosher salt. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently uncovered for 30 minutes; avoid a hard boil.
- Strain through a {{tool:fine-mesh-sieve}}, pressing lightly without forcing shell fragments through. Discard the solids. Add water or simmer briefly to obtain exactly the strained shellfish stock needed for the rice, then keep it hot over low heat.
Open the clams safely
- Combine the littleneck clams, white wine, lightly crushed garlic, cilantro stems, and olive oil in a wide pot. Cover with a {{tool:lid}} and bring to a lively simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for 4–7 minutes, shaking twice and transferring clams with {{tool:tongs}} to a {{tool:large-bowl}} as soon as they open.
- After 7 minutes, discard any clams that remain closed. Pour the steaming liquid through a {{tool:fine-mesh-sieve}} lined with damp {{tool:cheesecloth}} or a damp paper towel to remove sand.
- Add enough hot shellfish stock to the strained clam liquor to make exactly the combined cooking liquid for the rice. Keep it at a low simmer. Reserve two attractive clams per serving in their shells; remove the meat from the remaining clams and discard those shells.
Build the rice
- Heat olive oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart {{tool:large-heavy-pot}} over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and red bell pepper and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until thoroughly softened but not browned.
- Add the minced garlic, crushed piri piri, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute, then stir in the canned whole tomatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes, until they form a loose, glossy sauce.
- Add the carolino rice and stir for 1 minute to coat every grain. Pour in five-sixths of the hot cooking liquid. Add the kosher salt and the black pepper. Bring to a steady simmer, stirring once to prevent sticking.
- Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring gently every 2–3 minutes with a {{tool:wooden-spoon}}. Keep a steady bubble, scrape the bottom carefully, and do not stir continuously.
Cook the seafood in stages
- Stir the lobster tail meat into the rice and cook for 3 minutes. Add the peeled shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the shelled clam meat and the remaining sixth of the hot cooking liquid. Nestle the reserved shell-on clams across the surface and cook for 2–4 minutes, until the rice has a faintly resilient center, the shrimp are opaque and loosely C-shaped, and the lobster is opaque. Keep the rice loose and brothy; if it tightens too soon, add hot water 1/4 cup at a time.
Finish and serve
- Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Fold in the chopped cilantro and lemon juice without breaking the seafood. Cover and rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls, dividing the shell-on clams evenly and passing the lemon wedges at the table. The rice should remain distinctly brothy rather than mounded or dry.
