“Ooh…Sounds exotic! ‘Arroz con Mariscos‘…but what does it mean?” asked a friend, as I served her a portion of my freshly made dish.
I didn’t want to let her down but I had no choice but to answer, “It just meas ‘rice with seafood.’
“Oh…” said my friend. But when she ate the first bite she perked up again. The recipe is deceptively simple and surprisingly tasty. It has more in common with paella than with plain rice and a couple of mussels. It’s a filling bowl of creamy long grain rice (I used brown but white is standard in Peru, the home of the dish) with a Peruvian pepper purée (on the side because one of my guests was allergic. So you could leave it out altogether or adjust the heat to your preference – though Peruvians would disapprove, and I would too), and a heap of sustainable Nordic shrimp (the small ones, not the farmed Thai ones. You could also use wild Pacific shrimp if you know they’re sustainable, or spot prawns) and inexpensive mussels (almost always sustainable. Just make sure they’re from clean waters since they’re filter feeders). The convenient thing about seafood is that it’s quick and simple to prepare and the juices that are released when the mussels open and the shrimp cook add a lot of flavour to the dish. Don’t overdo it on the salt because the seafood and canned tomatoes will both add a fair bit of sodium.
This serves a crowd, and doesn’t keep more than a few days as leftovers. The cooked mussels keep better if you remove them from their shells first. And make sure you reheat the dish well to kill off any potentially harmful bacteria. Better yet, don’t plan on having any leftovers! This dish is addictive and naturally low in fat, so no need to feel bad about seconds. It should be served with a Peruvian salsa criollo (recipe below) of lime-pickled red onions with optional chili peppers and cilantro, but I also put out a wine glass of olives (olives in Peru are amazing so it didn’t feel right to skip them). The salsa criollo really brightens up the table.
Peruvian Arroz con Mariscos (Rice and Seafood with a Chili Pepper-Tomato Sauce)
1/4 cup canned aji amarillo chili paste (available at Latin or specialty grocery stores)
OR 1/4 fresh yellow chili pepper, seeded and white parts removed blended with 2 tbsp water and 1/4 tsp salt. Traditionally yellow aji amarillo is used but any medium-hot long red or yellow chili pepper will work.
OR 2 or 3 dried aji amarillo or other chili peppers – to taste! – and tear them into small pieces and completely submerge them in very hot water for 30 minutes to soften before blending to a paste along with the soaking water)
5 cups water
2 lbs mussels, scrubbed in running water and debearded (pull the bits sticking out of the mussels and store the cleaned mussels in the fridge until ready to use. Don’t store them in water or they’ll die. Discard any that don’t close fully when you squeeze their opening)
1/4 kg (or however many you want) frozen or fresh spot prawns or Nordic shrimps, peeled and de-veined if applicable
4 tsp sunflower oil, or olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt, divided
4 cups long grain brow rice
1 cup of dry white wine, or fish broth, chicken broth or water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 branch or 2 tsp oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
1 540mL can diced tomatoes, drained, or 1 can of peeled, whole tomatoes roughly chopped and drained
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
1 fresh diced chili pepper, optional for garnish (ajì limo is traditional, but good luck finding that in North America. Use whatever you used above, and if you used dry, just serve with crushed chili flakes on the side for those who want more heat)
Instructions:
Prepare the chili paste if necessary (soak and blend or chop and blend as indicated above).
Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil in a pot big enough to hold the mussels. Add the mussels and cover the pot. Return to a boil and cook until the mussels open (about 5 minutes). Remove mussels with a slotted spoon. Add the shrimp to the water and boil for 2 minutes. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon and store mussels and shrimp in the fridge once cool. Reserve cooking liquid. You can remove some of the mussels from their shells while the rice is cooking if you like, or for a more dramatic presentation (but more mess), leave them all in their shells to serve.
Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large pot over medium heat and when hot add half the garlic. Cook for 1 minute until slightly brown. Add the 1/4 tsp salt and the rice. Stir to coat rice. Add 1/2 cup wine (or water) and stir and cook for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol. Add the reserved mussel and shrimp cooking liquid (if you accidentally threw it out – this happens – add 5 cups of fish broth, or chicken broth or water). Bring the liquid to a boil and then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook the rice for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat until almost ready to serve. This recipe can be made up to here in advance.
In a medium pot add the remaining 2 tsp of oil, and when hot, add the diced onion, the red and green peppers, the remaining garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, bay leaf, oregano, paprika, chili paste (optional) and the can of tomatoes. Cook over high heat until liquid is evaporated and then add the remaining 1/2 cup of white wine and cook for 1 minute more. Add to the large pot of cooked rice and stir in the reserved mussels and shrimp. Cook 2 minutes to reheat everything and then remove from heat. Scoop into individual serving bowls and top with cilantro leaves if desired. Serve diced chili pepper on the side for those who want it. Serve with salsa criollo (recipe below) and olives.
Peruvian Salsa Criollo
1 red onion, cut in half and then in thing slices
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 fresh chili pepper (whatever you used above), seeds and membrane removed, optional
2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves, optional
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat. Store in fridge (turning occasionally if you think of it) to let onions “cook” for at least a few hours before serving. They won’t taste raw this way, though you’re not applying any heat.
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