Zarzuela – Catalan fish and seafood stew

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 400 gMonkfish, in chunks
• 400 gHake fillet, in pieces
• 300 gSquid (raw), in rings
• 12Shell-on prawns
• 500 gFresh mussels, cleaned
• 300 gFresh clams, rinsed
• to tasteSalt
• 2 tbspPlain flour
• 6 tbspOlive oil
• 25 gAlmonds, blanched
• 1 sliceBread, slice
• 3 clovesGarlic, peeled
• 1Yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3Tomatoes, grated
• 50 mlBrandy
• 100 mlWhite wine
• 500 mlFish stock, hot
• 1 gSaffron, a few threads
• 2 tbspParsley, chopped

On the side

• 8 slicesBread

Method

1. Put the mussels in a pan with the wine, cover and cook over a high heat for 3–4 minutes, until they open; discard any that stay shut. Strain, keeping the liquid, and remove one half-shell from each mussel.
2. Season the monkfish and hake with salt and dust them with flour.
3. Heat the oil in a wide casserole and brown the fish for 1 minute a side, just to seal it, then lift it out. Do the same with the prawns.
4. In the same oil, fry the almonds, garlic and bread until golden and put them in a mortar.
5. Soften the onion in the casserole over a low heat for 10 minutes. Add the squid and fry for 3 minutes more.
6. Add the tomato and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the liquid has cooked off and it has darkened.
7. Pour in the brandy and carefully set it alight, with the extractor fan off, until the flames die down.
8. Add the fish stock and the mussel liquid and let it bubble for 5 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, pound the almonds, garlic and bread in the mortar with the saffron and half the parsley, adding a little stock, to make a paste.
10. Stir in the picada and add the clams, fish and prawns. Simmer for 5–6 minutes, shaking the pan now and then, until the clams open and the fish is cooked.
11. Add the mussels, check the salt, scatter over the rest of the parsley and serve from the pot, with bread.

More recipes

• Baked hake with potatoes and garlic50 min · ≈ €2.50/port.
• Ensalada mixta – mixed salad with tuna and egg25 min · ≈ €2.05/port.
• Pan-fried salmon with garlic, parsley and salad25 min · ≈ €2.75/port.
• Seafood paella55 min · ≈ €4.40/port.