Sophia'S Puerto Rican Style Seafood Stew (Asopado De Mariscos) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup white wine
1 pound firm white fish fillets (cod, haddock or halibut), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pinch saffron
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
4 cups seafood stock, divided
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
12 mussels, cleaned and debearded

Preparation

Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in green peppers and cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, cilantro, and bay leaves; saute 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in white wine, bring to a boil, and cook until wine is reduced by half. about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low.
Place white fish and shrimp into pot and gently simmer until fish starts to turn white, about 5 minutes. Season with saffron, salt, and pepper. Add 2 cups seafood stock, clams, and mussels and cook 5 minutes. Pour in remaining 2 cups seafood stock. Simmer until flavors are combined and seafood is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.
Spoon rice into stew by tablespoons until stew has reached your desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 more minutes.