Arroz con Mariscos (seafood rice)

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg of seafood medley (approx. 2 lbs)
• 1 dozen mussels
• 1 tablespoon of aji panca paste (red Peruvian chili paste or it could be replaced with 2 teaspoons of ground paprika)
• 1 tablespoon of aji amarillo paste
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 diced onion
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 red bell pepper cut in thin strips
• 1/2 cup of peas
• 1/2 cup of minced cilantro
• 1 cup of mussel broth
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 3 teaspoons of salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 lime in slices
• 4 cups of white rice

Preparation:

Prepare the white rice the usual way. Put the mussels in a small pot with enough water to cover them. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper and let it cook on medium high until the mussels open. Reserve the broth.

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the onion, garlic, peas and the mussel broth and cook until the peas are tender. Add the aji panca, aji amarillo, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt and black pepper and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often to mix all ingredients well. Add the wine and seafood medley and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cilantro, red bell pepper and mussels and stir. Pour the mixture over the warm rice rice and mix well, add salt and black pepper if needed.

Serve warm and decorate with cilantro leaves. Put some lime slices on each plate.