Zarzuela de Mariscos
Zarzuela is Catalonia's grand seafood stew, a colourful medley of fish and shellfish simmered in a saffron-tinged tomato broth and thickened at the end with a fragrant almond picada. It is festive cooking meant for a crowd and a bottle of wine.
Approximate, per 1 large bowl (~400g). Values vary by recipe and portion.
Ingredients
- ·300 g firm white fish (monkfish or hake), in chunks
- ·8 large prawns, shell on
- ·300 g mussels, cleaned
- ·300 g clams, purged
- ·2 squid, cleaned and sliced
- ·1 onion, finely chopped
- ·3 cloves garlic
- ·400 g ripe tomatoes, grated
- ·100 ml white wine or brandy
- ·A pinch of saffron
- ·500 ml fish stock
- ·5 tbsp olive oil
- ·30 g toasted almonds
- ·1 slice fried bread
- ·Chopped parsley and salt
Method
- 1
Season the fish and prawns, then sear them briefly in hot olive oil in a wide casserole and set aside; they will finish later.
- 2
In the same pot, soften the onion for several minutes, add most of the garlic, then stir in the grated tomato and cook down into a rich sofrito.
- 3
Add the squid and let it cook for a few minutes, then pour in the wine or brandy and simmer off the alcohol.
- 4
Add the saffron and fish stock, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes to build the broth.
- 5
Meanwhile make the picada by pounding the toasted almonds, fried bread, remaining garlic and a little parsley into a paste with a splash of stock.
- 6
Return the fish and prawns to the pot, add the mussels and clams, cover, and simmer for 5-6 minutes until the shells open and the fish is just cooked.
- 7
Stir the picada through the broth to thicken and enrich it, discarding any shellfish that stayed shut.
- 8
Scatter with parsley and serve straight from the pot with bread.