Arroz de Marisco

Arroz de marisco is rice simmered loose and soupy in a tomato-and-shellfish stock, packed with shrimp, mussels and clams. It is Portugal's answer to a seafood risotto, wetter than any risotto would allow, arriving at the table still visibly liquid rather than creamy.

What it really is

A stock built from shellfish shells and tomato simmers first, giving the rice a base already carrying the flavour of the seafood before any grain goes in. Rice cooks directly in that stock, absorbing it only partially rather than fully, so the finished dish stays deliberately loose and almost soupy — closer to a thick seafood broth with rice suspended in it than a dry, spoonable rice dish. Shrimp, mussels and clams go in toward the end, just long enough to cook through without turning tough or rubbery.

The looseness is intentional, not undercooked rice. Arroz de marisco is meant to be eaten with a spoon as much as a fork; a version that's dry or fully absorbed has been cooked too long and has lost the point of the dish.

How it is served

• In a wide bowl, still visibly wet, spooned rather than plated dry.
• Straight from the pot, often brought to the table still bubbling.
• As a main course, a full meal built around shellfish.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the shellfish and molluscs plainly.
• Say that it's deliberately loose and soupy, since guests expecting a dry risotto-style rice may otherwise be surprised.
• List the shellfish used, since the exact mix varies by kitchen and by what's fresh.