Arroz atollado de almejas (Guapi clam and coconut rice)

Sort and clean the clams Keep the clams refrigerated until you are ready to cook. Discard any with cracked or broken shells. Tap any open clams gently; discard those that do not close. Scrub the remaining shells under cold running water to remove grit. Rinse and drain the rice. Keep clams, shells and raw juices separate from ready-to-eat food, and wash your hands and work surface after handling them.

Cook the clams and strain the broth Bring 1.9 L water to a boil in a wide pot. Add the clams, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring or shaking the pot once, until the shells open. Remove the clams as they open if needed; discard any that remain closed. Strain the cooking liquid through damp fine cloth or several layers of clean fine cheesecloth to catch sand. Measure 1.66 L broth for the rice and reserve any extra for another use.

Pick the clam meat When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and discard the shells. Check the meat for grit or shell fragments. Keep the cooked clams covered and warm while you prepare the refrito. Do not return the discarded shells to the finished rice.

Fry the clams with refrito Warm the refrito in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the oil only if the refrito is not already oily. Stir in the clam meat and cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring so the pieces are coated and the mixture does not catch on the bottom. The clams are already cooked; this step follows the regional method and lets them take on the refrito’s flavor.

Coat the rice and add broth Add the drained rice to the clam and refrito mixture. Stir for about 5 minutes so the grains are evenly coated. Pour in the measured 1.66 L strained clam broth and bring to a steady simmer. Cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes, stirring periodically and scraping the base gently. The rice should become tender while the mixture remains quite moist. If it thickens too quickly, add a little hot water.

Finish with coconut milk Stir in the thick coconut milk and black pepper. Lower the heat, cover the pot and cook gently for about 15 minutes. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking. The finished rice should be creamy and spoonable, not dry. Taste before adding salt because clam broth and refrito can already be seasoned. Fold in the chopped cilantro.

Rest briefly and serve Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 3 minutes. If the rice has tightened, loosen it with a splash of hot water. Serve hot in bowls, with lime wedges and avocado on the side if desired. Keep the rice moist as it stands; it will continue to absorb liquid.