Spanish Shellfish With Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Shrimp Stock
1/2 lb medium shrimp, unpeeled (don't worry, the shrimp won't go to waste!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups water
2 scallions, sliced
2 fresh fresh cilantro stems
8 black peppercorns, whole
1 pinch dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
Shellfish and Rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 red jalapeno chiles, seeded and cut into thin strips (wear gloves to prevent irritation)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups long grain white rice
6 ounces sea scallops, halved if large
12 cherrystone clams or 12 littleneck clams, in shells, scrubbed
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
12 oysters, raw, shucked, juices drained

Preparation

To make shrimp stock, peel and devein the shrimp; reserve the shells. Place the shrimp in a medium bowl; cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright pink, about 2 minutes. Add the water, scallions, cilantro sprigs, peppercorns, and thyme; increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavours are blended, about 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a sieve over a large bowl; discard the solids. Stir in the salt. Set aside.
To make the shellfish and rice, heat the oil in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno peppers, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice until well coated. Add the shrimp stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and stock is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the reserved shrimp, the scallops, clams and 2 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro. Cook, covered, until the clams open and the shrimp and scallops are just opaque in the centre, 3-5 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Stir in the oysters and cook, covered, until their edges begin to curl, about 2 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with the remaining cilantro.