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Spanish Shellfish Stew
Recipe by Billie McKay
This Spanish Seafood Stew is a flavour-bomb.
- Steps
- Ingredients
Steps
- For the Seafood Stew, place the capsicum directly over the gas flame, or on a hibachi to blacken and blister the skin. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, peel and devein the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Set prawns aside in fridge.
- Scrub and debeard the mussels and rinse the pipis. Set aside.
- Place the wine in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the mussels and cook until they just open. Remove mussels, leaving the liquid behind, and set aside in a bowl.
- Return liquid to the boil, then add pipis. Cook until they just open then remove pipis and set aside with the mussels. Cover pot with a lid to keep liquid warm.
- In another large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over a medium high heat. Add the prawn heads and shells, caramelising them while bruising them to release their flavour.
- Add the fennel, carrot, onion, minced garlic and parsley stalks and cook, stirring, over medium high heat until softened.
- Finely chop the blackened capsicum and add to the pot.
- Add paprika, saffron and tomato paste and sauté for a few minutes. Add rosemary and thyme then deglaze the pot with the sherry. Add vinegar and tomatoes, fish stock and reserved mussel and pipi cooking liquid.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for around 20 minutes or until reduced by 1/3.
- Place extra olive oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add the almonds, stirring over a medium heat until golden. Add in the extra garlic and cook a further 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Strain the broth through lined, very fine strainer into a saucepan, pressing out as much liquid as possible.
- Add almonds and garlic to the liquid, and process with a hand blender until thoroughly incorporated.
- Strain the broth again, into a clean pot, and set over low heat.
- Squeeze in juice of ½ lemon, and season with freshly cracked black pepper and salt.
- When ready to serve, add the peeled prawns to the pot, until just cooked, about 3 minutes.
- Add the mussels and pipis and gently stir.
- For the Herb Oil, place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high speed for 7 minutes.
- Strain through a muslin lined sieve into a bowl. Set aside.
- To serve, divide the stew into 2 large serving bowls. Sprinkle over the parsley, paprika and pepper. Dot with herb oil and serve with crusty bread and lemon wedges on the side.
