Zarzuela de Pescado

Don't Make These Mistakes

Cook the sofrito until dark.

Add the seafood in order of cooking time.

Throw away any shells that stay shut.

Cooking Zarzuela de Pescado

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1. Cook the onions in the oil for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes, stirring, until dark and thick. Stir in the paprika.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

2. Add the wine and stock and simmer for 5 minutes.

   Mark done Start 5 min timer

3. Pound the almonds, garlic and half the parsley to a paste with a little stock.

   Mark done

4. Add the white fish to the pan and cook for 4 minutes. Add the mussels and clams, cover and cook for 4 minutes until open. Add the prawns and squid for 3 minutes.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

5. Stir in the almond paste and brandy and simmer for 3 minutes. Discard any shut shells. Scatter with the remaining parsley.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

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Why the Method Works

A Sunday dish for a table of six, and one that looks far more difficult than it is. Zarzuela de pescado is a Catalan fish stew whose name means operetta, a show with many characters: prawns, mussels, squid, clams and firm white fish in a sauce thickened with ground almonds.

The flavour of the stew comes from the sofrito, the base of onion, tomato and garlic, simmered slowly until it is dark and sweet, and the picada, a paste of toasted almonds, garlic and parsley pounded together. Make the sofrito first and cook it for 20 minutes. Add the shellfish and fish in order of how long they take: firm fish first, clams and mussels next, prawns and squid last. Each stage needs only a few minutes.

Stir the picada into the sauce at the end, with a splash of brandy, and let the stew simmer for 3 minutes to thicken. Discard any clams or mussels that stay shut. Serve it in the pan at the table, with toasted bread rubbed with garlic and a glass of cold white wine. Do not leave any seafood over the heat too long.

Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping

Best fresh. Do not reheat the seafood.

Changing the Recipe

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

What to Serve Alongside

• Garlic toast
• Dry white wine
• Green salad

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Judias Verdes con Jamon, Patatas a lo Pobre, Escalivada.

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: all the alcohol is counted, though some is lost in cooking. The calories include 4 g of alcohol a serving, which is not part of the protein, carbohydrate or fat. How the figures are worked out.

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