Name: Arroz de Marisco
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 1 pot
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 pc onion; 3 cloves garlic; 3 pcs tomatoes; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 150 ml white wine; 300 g risotto rice; 900 ml fish broth; 2 pcs bay leaves; 1 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper; 300 g shrimp; 500 g mussels; 300 g calamari; 1 pc chilli peppers; 1 handful coriander; 4 slices lemon

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Rinse and pat dry the seafood. discard open (that don't close when tapped) or damaged mussels, and slice the calamari into rings if needed.
2
Finely chop the onion and roughly chop the garlic. score the tomatoes, blanch, peel, and dice them.
TIP:
Score the tomatoes with a cross, blanch them in boiling water, and quickly cool them down. The skin will easily separate, which is useful when preparing sauces, soups, and other dishes.
3
Heat the fish stock in a saucepan almost to a boil so it stays hot while cooking the rice.

Cooking

4
In a wide pot, heat olive oil and gently sauté the onion over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened.
5
Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika (and finely chopped chili if using), and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
6
Stir in the diced tomatoes, increase the heat, and sauté for 3-4 minutes to evaporate some of the juices.
7
Pour in the white wine, let it reduce by half, then add the rice and stir for 1-2 minutes to coat it in the base.
8
Add hot fish stock so the rice is just covered, add the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper. cook gently, gradually adding more stock as needed to keep the rice juicy.
TIP:
Cook the risotto rice gradually, adding hot broth so it is absorbed and releases starch. The result will be creamy and juicy, not dry. You can use this method for similar dishes as well.
9
After about 15-18 minutes, when the rice is almost al dente and still very succulent, stir in the calamari and cook for 2-3 minutes.
10
Add the shrimp and mussels, cover with a lid, and steam for 3-4 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and the mussels have opened. discard any that remain closed.
11
Check seasoning and consistency. arroz should be more juicy and creamy than dry, so add a little stock if needed or briefly reduce the liquid.
TIP:
After adding the seafood, cover with a lid and briefly steam over low heat. Steaming quickly heats the ingredients and preserves their juiciness without overcooking. This method is also suitable for other seafood or vegetables.
12
Remove from the heat, stir in half the chopped coriander, and let rest for 2 minutes.

Serving

13
Ladle into deep plates, sprinkle with the remaining fresh coriander, and arrange some seafood pieces in the center.
14
Serve with a wedge of lemon for drizzling, which will enhance the sweetness of the seafood.