Receta de Guiso de Mariscos a la Catalana - Catalan Seafood Stew Recipe

Ingredients

• For the Almond and Hazelnut Paste:
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2cup Marcona almonds, ground
• 1/2cup roasted hazelnuts, ground
• 3cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 1/2cups fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Sea salt
• For the Stew:
• 3dried ñoras peppers
• 3tbsp olive oil
• 1lb cleaned squid tubes, cut into ¼-inch rings
• 3medium onions, peeled and diced
• 3cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
• 2red bell peppers, deseeded, halved and cut into ¼-inch slices
• 2tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
• 3tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1/2tsp saffron threads
• 1 1/2cups white wine
• 3cups tomate frito sauce or regular tomato sauce with a ½ tsp of sugar
• 4 1/2cups seafood stock
• 14oz bacalao (salt cod) cooking pieces, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3lbs fresh small clams (such as littleneck)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Crusty bread for serving

Preparation

For the Almond and Hazelnut Paste:

STEP 1

Add the almonds, hazelnuts, garlic, parsley, a pinch of sea salt and olive oil to a food processor and pulse until you have a thick, grainy paste (don’t over-blend into a smooth paste). Set aside.

For the Stew:

STEP 1

Prepare the clams by soaking in cold, salted water for a couple of hours to remove any sand. Discard any clams that do not close when you tap on them. 

STEP 2

Prepare the dried ñoras peppers by pricking a few holes in the peppers and soaking them in a heatproof bowl with boiling water for 30-40 minutes, turning them occasionally. Remove the peppers from the soaking water and squeeze out any excess water. Cut the peppers open, remove seeds and lay flat on a cutting board skin side down. With the back side of a knife or a spoon scrape the inside flesh away from the skins. 

STEP 3

Add 3 tbsp olive oil to a heavy bottomed 2-quart stock pot. Heat oil over medium heat and stir in squid rings. Sauté over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove squid from the pan and set aside.

STEP 4

Using the same pan as the squid, add the onion, garlic, more olive oil if necessary and sauté over medium heat until onion is soft. Add red peppers, ñoras pepper pulp, thyme, paprika and saffron. Stir over medium heat for a minute and add white wine. After 3 minutes add tomate frito or tomato sauce and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow sauce to simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

STEP 5

After sauce has simmered and thickened, add fish broth and nut paste. Mix well, bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

STEP 6

Add the cod and clams to the sauce and press them under. Cover and allow to cook a few minutes over medium heat. When clams are starting to open, add the shrimp and reserved squid. Stir and press the seafood gently under the sauce and replace cover. Stir now and then if needed to get the seafood under the sauce and cook evenly.

Once all of the shrimp have changed color and the clams are open, season to taste with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. (Discard any clams that did not open.)

Ladle into shallow soup bowls, dividing seafood evenly, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve with crusty bread and a Spanish white or rosé wine.