Asopao de Camarones

My parents live up in the mountains in Puerto Rico and it can get pretty chilly up there believe it or not.  People think of the Caribbean being 80 degrees year round, but that is no the case in PR.  There is a mountain range that runs though the center of the island and up in the mountains it can get down to the 50′s sometimes 40′s during the winter.  When the chill would come creeping in my mom would make a pot of asopao. The best way I can describe asopao is a sort of gumbo without the roux or okra.  This week it got chilly here and it was accompanied by some rain. I decided it was a good time to make asopao.

There are many variations of asopao. The most common variation is made with chicken but it can also be made with calamari, clams, sausage, pigeon peas, shrimp or a combination, like a gumbo.  I had some shrimp in the freezer and 2 jars of clam juice so I decided to make asopao with shrimp.  The best rice to use for asopa is a short grain rice like arborio rice.

Pour 1 cup of rice into a bowl and cover with 2 inches of water.  Set it aside to soak for 1 hour.

In a large pot heat 1 tbs of olive oil, add 6 cubes (or Tbs) of sofrito, cook for about 4 minutes.

Add 1 cup of diced tomato, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, 1 tsp of capers and 8 pimento stuffed olives, stir till well combined and bring to a simmer.

If you are making a variety with chicken, add chicken here.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Add 4 cups of clam juice.  If you are making it with chicken, substitute the clam juice with chicken sauce.

Bring the stock to a boil and add shrimp.

Drain the rice, add to the pot and stir.  Set to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Cook until the rice is tender and it has a gumbo like consistency.  If you want it thicker, lower the heat, cover and cook to desired consistency.  If you want it to be “soupy’er” water 1/4 cup at a time.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

It is important to serve right away because the rice will continue to soak up the sauce and become thicker with time.

I think this qualifies as comfort food and most definitely a dish that will warm you up on a cold day.

Print Recipe

Asopao de Camarones

• 1 cup of short grain rice
• 6 cubes (or Tbs) of sofrito
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 1/2 tsp of capers
• 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
• 8 pimento stuffed olives
• 4 cups of clam juice
• 1 lbs of shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pour 1 cup of rice into a bowl and cover with 2 inches of water. Set it aside to soak for 1 hour.

In a large pot heat 1 tbs of olive oil, add 6 cubes (or Tbs) of sofrito, cook for about 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of diced tomato, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, 1 tsp of capers and 8 pimento stuffed olives, stir till well combined and bring to a simmer. If you are making a variety with chicken, add chicken here. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Add 4 cups of clam juice. If you are making it with chicken, substitute the clam juice with chicken sauce. Bring the stock to a boil and add shrimp.

Drain the rice, add to the pot and stir. Set to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Cook until the rice is tender and it has a gumbo like consistency. If you want it thicker, lower the heat, cover and cook to desired consistency. If you want it to be “soupy’er” water 1/4 cup at a time.