Asopao de Camarones

Description
Shrimp gumbo, Puerto Rican style

Group A

 * 1 lb fresh- or salt-water shrimp, shelled and deveined
 * the juice from a small green lemon (or 2 tbsp bottled lemon extract)

Group B

 * 2 tbsp olive oil
 * 1 medium sized onion, diced
 * 1 green pepper, diced
 * 2 tbsp crushed garlic
 * 1 cup (1 small) tomato, diced
 * 2 tsp cilantro leaves, diced
 * 1 bay leaf
 * salt to taste (just a pinch for salt-water shrimp, about 1 tsp for fresh-water shrimp)
 * cloves to taste
 * ginger to taste

Group C

 * 4 cups water
 * 1½ cups raw, uncooked medium rice
 * 1 cup potatoes, diced (optional; if using, add more salt)
 * 1 red pepper, sliced

Directions

 * 1) Rinse the shrimp.
 * 2) Baste with the lemon extract.
 * 3) Let stand.
 * 4) Add the salt, cloves and ginger to three cups of water in a deep sauce pan.
 * 5) Bring to a boil.
 * 6) Sieve through a colander to remove the remnants of the spices.
 * 7) In a deep cooking dish, place two tablespoonfuls of olive oil and heat for about one minute.
 * 8) Saute onion, pepper and diced cilantro for under a minute, add garlic, tomato and bay leaf, saute another minute.
 * 9) Add the water and bring to a boil.
 * 10) Add the rice and bring the heat down to medium.
 * 11) Cook over medium heat, covered, for around twenty minutes.
 * 12) If the pot is not deep enough, it is likely to boil over, so uncover it often, stir, and let some steam out to prevent it.
 * 13) Add the shrimp, diced potatoes and red peppers.
 * 14) Cook for another ten minutes.
 * 15) Serrve hot, preferably with tostones de plátano.