Arroz de Marisco - Seafood Rice

Photo credit by Benny Sieu from the Milwaukee Sentinel

This is a fantastic and easy recipe for seafood lovers. Again yet another Portuguese staple. This is best to make it for a large crowd. My kids of course love it as with anything seafood related.

INGREDIENTS

1lb of clams
1lb of mussels
1lb of shrimps
4 crab claws
.75lbs white rice
1 large onion chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 bunch of cilantro
olive oil
3 cups of white wine
dry chili peppers
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet add a little olive oil and 1 minced garlic clove and bring the heat to medium for about two minutes then add a few cilantro leaves and 1 cup of white wine
2. Let it simmer for 5 minutes then add the mussels and clams and cover, check from time to time to see when they are all open
3. In a large pot add 6 to 8 cups water, salt (the water should taste like salt water) and 2 chili pepper and bring it to boil. 
4. Add the shrimps and crab claws (even if the crab is already cooked)
5. Once all mussels and clams are opened, remove them and place them in a large bowl. Keep the juices from the skillet
6. Once the shrimp is pink (usually I buy frozen shrimp and I know it is ready when water start boiling again, then wait 2 minutes and shrimps are to perfection), remove the shrimp and crab into another large bowl.
7. Place the broth from the shrimp and crab in another bowl or use another pot to start the rice
8. In a large pot add the remainder olive oil and sautée the onions, garlic and cilantro leaves, 
9. Add the remainder white wine and let it simmer for about 7 minutes
10. Add half the water from the shrimps and all of the juices from the clams
11. Taste the broth and see if it needs more salt (if too salty then add water)
12. add the rice and make sure that water cover the rice well (about 3 fingers of water over the rice)
13. If you need to add water always add the shrimp broth along with water.
14. Once rice is al dente add all of the seafood
15. serve on a nice deep dish and decorate it with a few more cilantro leaves

You want to make sure the rice NEVER becomes dry, if SHOULD have enough broth. Some people also like adding a few tomatoes, if that is your case, dice the tomatoes and add them just before step 9, so before adding the wine.