Recipe - Oysters And Clams On Spinach

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
6 Whole cloves
One fourth teaspoon Allspice berries
One fourth teaspoon Black peppercorns
3 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon Dried oregano; crumbled
1 Piece Cinnamon stick ;
(3/4" long)
1/3 cup Olive oil
1 lg Onion; thinly cut or sliced up
3 small Carrots; cut into 1/4" dice
3 Garlic cloves; minced
6 Fresh long yellow chiles;
roasted, peeled,
And cut into 1/2" dice
3 tablespoon Cider vinegar; or to taste
1 cup Mild fish broth; clam juice,
or water, generous cup
1 One half pound Shucked oysters; with all
their liquid
One half teaspoon Salt; or to taste
One half small Bunch Cilantro; leaves only,
finely chopped

In a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder reserved for grinding spices,
combine the cumin, cloves, allspice, and peppercorns. Grind until cracked
but not pulverized, then transfer to a small dish and add the bay leaves,
oregano, and cinnamon. In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over
medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally,
until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chiles
and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the vinegar, fish broth, and all the
spices to the pan, cover and reduce the heat to mediumlow. Simmer for 10
minutes. Transfer to a glass bowl and let stand at room temperature for 1
to 2 hours, for the flavors to marry. When ready to serve, return the
mixture to the skillet and add the oysters. Over mediumlow heat, bring the
mixture just up to a gentle simmer and let the oysters cook very gently for
about 3 minutes (the oysters are done when the edges curl and they turn
almost white do not overcook). Remove from the heat and adjust the
seasonings, adding more salt and vinegar if desired. Remove the bay leaves
and cinnamon stick and serve in deep bowls, scattered with the fresh
cilantro. This recipe yields 4 to 6