arroz de camarão (Sweet prawn rice) Santa Joana

• servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Prawn Broth:

•1.1 lbs (500 g) large shell-on prawns/shrimp (heads intact)

•4 tbsp (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

•1 medium yellow onion, unpeeled, roughly chopped

1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper or 1 tablespoon of massa de pimentão

•1 large carrot, roughly chopped

•1 celery stalk or leek top, roughly chopped

•3 cloves garlic, crushed but unpeeled

•1 bay leaf

•6.3 cups (1.5 liters) water

For the Rice Base:

•4 tbsp (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

•1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

•3 cloves garlic, minced

•1/2 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely minced (optional, but encouraged)

•2 very ripe medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 7 oz / 200 g quality tinned tomatoes)

•1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

•1 cup (250 g) Carolino rice (or substitute Arborio/Bomba if Carolino is unavailable)

•3/4 cup (180 ml) dry white wine

•Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

To Finish:

•2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter (or a spoonful of shellfish bisque if available)

•1/2 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped, plus extra for garnish

•1/4 bunch fresh chervil or dill, roughly chopped (for the “fragrant herbs” touch)

•Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon or orange

Directions

1. Fabricate the Prawns & Build the Broth

Chefs, start by separating the heads and shells from the prawn meat. Do not discard those heads — that is where the soul of this dish lives. Keep the prawn meat covered in the fridge.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the prawn heads and shells. Sauté aggressively, pressing down on the heads with a wooden spoon to extract the tamalley (the orange fat). Cook until they are deep orange and highly aromatic.

Toss in the roughly chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaf. Give it another minute, then pour in the water. Bring to a rolling boil, then drop to a simmer. Let this extract for 30 to 40 minutes. Do not salt this broth.

When done, do not discard the prawn shells after boiling; blend and strain them. Then pass it through a fine-mesh sieve (chinois). Press hard on the solids to extract every drop of liquid. You need this broth rich. Keep it hot on the stove.

2. Sear the Prawn Meat

In your wide, heavy-bottomed pan or rondeau, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Quickly sear the prawn meat for just 30 seconds per side so they take on a delicate pink color but remain slightly undercooked in the center. Immediately pull them from the pan and set them aside. Do not overcook our protein.

3. Build the Sofrito

In that same rondeau, add the remaining 4 tbsp of olive oil. Add the finely diced onion. Sweat it down slowly until translucent — do not rush this, let it melt.

Add a small amount of bell pepper (pimento) or massa de pimentão (fermented red pepper paste).

Add the minced garlic and chilli, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

Fold in the chopped tomatoes. Let this cook down until the tomatoes break apart and the mixture becomes a jammy paste.

Stir in the smoked paprika.

4. Toast and Deglaze

Add the Carolino rice directly into the sofrito. Stir constantly for about 1 to 2 minutes so the grains are coated in the fat and lightly toasted.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Stir until the wine has almost entirely evaporated.

5. The Cook

Portuguese arroz malandrinho is made by adding a large volume of liquid (usually a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of broth to rice) all at once, bringing it to a boil, and letting the rice simmer until the liquid reduces to a soupy consistency. You do not want the creamy, starch-bound texture of risotto; you want distinct grains swimming in a rich broth.

Pour all the strained, hot prawn stock into the pan at once after deglazing. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered or semi-covered for 12-15 minutes.

Begin ladling the hot prawn broth into the rice, about two ladles at a time, similar to a risotto technique. Stir gently. We are looking for arroz malandrinho — a “naughty,” wet, soupy rice, not a dry paella.

Simmer for about 15-18 minutes, adding broth continuously as it gets absorbed. The rice should be tender but still retain a slight bite in the center. Season carefully with sea salt and black pepper at this stage.

6. The Finish

When the rice is perfectly al dente and swimming in a slightly thickened, starchy, rich broth, pull the pan off the heat. This is crucial: do not keep it on the flame.

Fold the reserved seared prawns back into the rice so the residual heat finishes cooking them gently.

Finish off the heat purely with a generous glug of high-quality Portuguese extra-virgin olive oil, a heavy handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), and the citrus zest. Let it sit in the residual heat for 3-5 minutes before serving so the flavors meld and the prawns finish cooking gently.

Stir in the butter to mount the sauce and give it a luxurious gloss. Finally, fold in the chopped coriander, the fresh herbs, and the citrus zest and juice to cut through the richness and elevate the dish.

Serve immediately in deep bowls. It must hit the table hot and loose.

Notes

Base Recipe (Arroz de Camarão)

•Make a shrimp stock first: sauté shrimp heads and shells in olive oil until pink, then simmer in water for 20-30 minutes and strain — this is the flavor backbone.[gastroportugal +1]

•Build a sofrito: sauté finely diced onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, then add tomato (fresh or paste) and cook until it breaks down into a jammy base.[stefangourmet +1]

•Season with paprika (sweet or smoked) and a splash of white wine to deglaze, then add the shrimp stock and bring to a boil.[youtube +1]

•Add Carolino rice (or any short-grain rice) directly to the simmering stock and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a loose, slightly soupy consistency — not dry like paella.[gastroportugal +1]

•Add the peeled raw shrimp in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking so they stay tender and just-cooked from residual heat.[stefangourmet]

•Finish with fresh coriander (cilantro) stirred in right before serving.[gastroportugal +1]

Santa Joana’s Twist

•The “sweet” and citrusy notes suggest adding a hit of citrus zest or juice (orange or lemon) near the end to brighten the tomato-shrimp base — a modern touch beyond the rustic original.[instagram +1]

•Lean into fresh herbs beyond just coriander; the description “fragrant herbs” implies layering in something like dill, chervil, or extra parsley for complexity.[instagram]

•Given Chef Nuno Mendes’s global-Portuguese style, a touch of extra richness (butter or a spoon of shellfish bisque) at the finish would mimic the dish’s noted “soul” and depth.