Lunch: Puerto Rican Seafood Soup: Asopao de Mariscos

Ingredients

Olive oil, for sauteing
1 white onion, cut into large dice, plus 1 white onion, cut into small dice
1 green pepper, cut into large dice, plus 1 green pepper, cut into small dice
2 (1 1/2 pound) lobsters, heads removed and reserved, tail sliced into 1-inch thick pieces, and claws cracked
8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and cleaned, shells reserved
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
4 cups clam juice
4 cups water
1 bay leaf, plus 1 bay leaf
2 cups rice
24 Little Neck clams
24 mussels
8 ounces sea scallops, cleaned
Pinch saffron
1/2 bunch culantro (not cilantro), finely chopped

Instructions

In a large stockpot, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom the pan thinly and saute the large diced white onion and large diced green pepper until translucent. Add lobster heads and shrimp shells. Cook until color starts changing and starts to look red. Add tomato sauce, white wine, and bay leaf. Add clam juice and water. Cook for at least 2 hours, then strain. In a medium size stockpot, saute the small diced onion, and small diced pepper until translucent. Add rice, clams, mussels, bay leaf, and a pinch of saffron. Add all strained seafood stock and cook until rice is soft, approximately 20 minutes. Add shrimp, scallops, and lobster. Cook for approximately 8 minutes. Add culantro and season with salt and pepper.