Arroz con Mariscos with Aji Panca Emulsion and Salsa Criolla Fluid Gel

Peel the 300 g raw shell-on shrimp, reserving all the shells for the stock. Clean the 200 g raw calamari rings and scrub the 300 g raw black mussels under cold water, discarding any open ones.

In a medium saucepan, heat 15 ml of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the reserved shrimp shells and 50 g of chopped red onion. Sear for 3 minutes until the shells turn bright pink. Pour in 50 ml of the dry white wine and boil for 1 minute, then add 600 ml of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids, and measure out exactly 400 ml of seafood stock.

For the Salsa Criolla Fluid Gel: Finely chop 100 g of red onion, 10 g of fresh cilantro, and 15 g of Aji Amarillo paste. Combine in a bowl with 80 ml of freshly squeezed lime juice and 100 ml of water. Let this mixture steep at room temperature for 10 minutes, then transfer to a blender and process until completely liquefied. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to yield about 150 ml of clear, vibrant liquid.

Pour the 150 ml of strained salsa criolla liquid into a small saucepan and whisk in 1.5 g of agar-agar powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and let boil for 1 minute to fully activate the agar-agar. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and refrigerate for 20 minutes until it sets into a firm, gelatinous sheet.

Break the set agar gel into pieces and place them in a blender. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes until it transforms into a perfectly smooth, glossy, squeezable fluid gel. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate until plating.

For the Aji Panca Emulsion: In a tall immersion blender beaker, combine 1 egg yolk, 20 g of Aji Panca paste, 15 ml of lime juice, 1 minced garlic clove, and a pinch of salt. Place the immersion blender head at the very bottom of the beaker, then pour 100 ml of olive oil on top. Turn the blender on high speed and hold it flat at the bottom for 5 seconds until a thick white emulsion forms, then slowly pull the blender upward to fully emulsify the remaining oil. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Rice: Heat 15 ml of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 100 g of finely diced red onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 50 g of finely diced red bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in 45 g of Aji Amarillo paste and 15 g of tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes. Add 250 g of uncooked Jasmine rice, stirring to coat the grains in the aromatic base. Transfer this mixture to the bowl of your rice cooker, pour in the 400 ml of warm seafood stock, and start the standard white rice cycle.

While the rice cooks, heat 15 ml of olive oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Add the 300 g of scrubbed mussels and the remaining 50 ml of white wine. Cover immediately and steam for 3 minutes until the mussels open. Remove the mussels with tongs and set aside, discarding any that did not open.

In the same skillet, add another 15 ml of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the 300 g of peeled shrimp and 200 g of calamari rings. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing constantly, until the shrimp are pink and the calamari is opaque. Remove from heat.

Once the rice cooker finishes its cycle, open and gently fluff the rice. Fold in 100 g of frozen green peas, 15 g of chopped fresh cilantro, the seared shrimp and calamari, and the steamed mussels along with any accumulated pan juices. Close the lid and let steam on the 'Warm' setting for 5 minutes.

To plate, spoon the rich, orange seafood rice into three wide bowls. Artistically dot the plates with the smoky red Aji Panca Emulsion and the bright purple Salsa Criolla Fluid Gel. Garnish with remaining fresh cilantro leaves and serve immediately with remaining lime wedges.