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"Quarter - Hour" Clam, Shrimp, Ham And Rice Soup
(Sopa At Cuarto De Hora)
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| What You Need: |
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1 quart water
8 small hard-shelled clams, washed and thoroughly scrubbed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 small bay leaf
1 large tomato peeled, seeded and finely chopped (see Huevos a la Flamenca)
¼ cup finely chopped lean smoked ham
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
¼ cup raw medium or long-grain regular-milled rice or imported short-grain rice
¼ cup dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon ground saffron or saffron threads crushed with a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
8 medium-sized raw shelled shrimp, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
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| How To Cook: |
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1. In a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Drop in the clams, cover tightly and boil briskly for 5 to 10 minutes or until the shells open.
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2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the clams to a plate, remove the clams and discard the shells. (Discard any clams that remain closed.) Set the clams aside and reserve the cooking liquid.
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SOFRITO:
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1. In a heavy 8-to 10-inch skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the onions, garlic and bay leaf.
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2. Stirring occasionally, cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent but not brown.
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3. Add the tomatoes, ham and parsley, raise the heat and cook briskly for about 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid in the pan evaporates and the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape lightly in a spoon. Set aside off the heat.
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ASSEMBLE:
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1. Strain the clam cooking liquid through a fine sieve, and return it to the saucepan. Add the sofrito, rice, wine, saffron and lemon juice, bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce the heat to low.
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2. Stir once or twice, partially cover the pan and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. (This cooking period is the quarter hour from which the soup gets its name.)
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3. Add the shrimp, egg and clams and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes longer until the shrimp turn pink. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve at once from a heated tureen or individual soup plates.
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