Seafood Rice Recipe (Arroz Caldoso)

Ingredients

1 bell pepper diced
1 medium onion diced
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 scant cups Bomba rice (360g) Note – you can sub any round, short-grained rice instead, though results may be a bit different. Arborio will work but the dish will be more creamy than soupy in texture.
8.5 cups warm fish stock (2 liters) or shellfish stock — it must be warmed or room temperature
4-5 pieces of shellfish per person such as shrimp, mussels, or clams

Put a large, heavy pot over medium heat (I use a cast iron pan or a Dutch oven). Add the olive oil and slowly cook the diced onion and pepper until tender and browned (about 10 minutes).
Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes, allowing the rice to coat itself in the oil but making sure it never burns or sticks.
Start adding the fish stock little by little. Cover the rice with about 1/2 an inch of stock and stir every couple of minutes. When it looks dry add more stock. It should take about 20 minutes to add it all.
Add the shellfish after about 15 minutes. They will cook through and open up before the dish is done. If any happen to remain closed, discard.
Start tasting the rice around the 20-minute mark. Adjust for salt now. Depending on the rice used, it usually takes 20-25 minutes to be fully cooked. As soon as it’s done, remove it from the heat and let it rest for five minutes before serving.
Enjoy this seafood rice with your favorite Spanish wine!

You can use any fish or seafood stock you prefer, just remember the better the quality, the better the taste!
You can use any variety of shellfish you prefer — shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops etc.
Since this is a wet (soupy) rice dish, it’s best served right away while the rice is perfectly cooked. If you leave it too long or eat it the next day the rice will be a bit overcooked.
If you can’t find Spanish Bomba rice, you can substitute another round, short-grain varieties like Arborio, but the end result may be more creamy than soupy (still delicious!).