Catalan Seafood Stew Recipe

Receta de Guiso de Mariscos a la Catalana

1 Hour

6 Servings

Ingredients

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

Nutritional Facts

Calories 677
Total Fat 24 gr (31%)
Saturated Fat 2.9 gr (15%)
Cholesterol 339 mg (113%)
Sodium 2245 mg (98%)
Total Carbohydrates 55.8 gr (20%)
Fiber 9.2 gr (33%)
Sugars 19 gr
Protein 52.9 gr
Vitamin D 0%
Calcium 17%
Iron 33%
Potassium 32%

* Percent Daily Values are based on 2000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

This traditional Catalan seafood stew, which hails from the province of Barcelona, is one of Spain’s most iconic dishes. Fresh seafood is paired with an almond and hazelnut paste, peppers, tomate frito and spices. The result is a briny, nutty, smoky stew that has so many wonderful layers of flavor!

Steps

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.