We might not be able to travel there just yet, but fear not, John’s bringing us a taste of Portugal instead with his Cataplana fish stew! It’s a one pot wonder of delicious seafood and makes for the perfect family feast.
Portuguese fish stew
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients
200g clams
200g mussels
50ml olive oil
2tsp coriander seeds
2 onions, peeled and sliced
4 bay leaves
6 cloves of garlic, grated
Black pepper
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
Salt
400ml shellfish stock
100ml white wine
400g ripe soft tomatoes, chopped and slated
200g tiger prawns, peeled, 4 with heads on but tails peeled
200g langoustines
200g monkfish, chopped into chunks
200g cod, chopped into chunks
To serve
Handful of coriander, finely chopped
Handful parsley
Crusty bread, buttered
Method
1. Soak the clams and the mussels separately overnight in a bowl of water in the fridge.
2. In a pan, add the oil and coriander seeds and cook for 1 minute, then add the onions and bay leaves and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the garlic and season well with black pepper, then add the peppers and cook with a little salt for 2 minutes until soft.
3. Whilst that is cooking bring the stock to the boil in a separate saucepan.
4. Add the wine to the peppers and cook for a minute and now add the tomatoes. Bring to the boil, stirring.
5. Remove from the heat and arrange the seafood in the pan on top of all the tomato sauce. Pour over the boiling stock and return the pan to the heat with the lid on, do not move, and cook for 4 minutes. When the lid is lifted all the mussels and clams should be opened and seafood cooked.
6. Take to the table and place a large chunk of buttered bread in the bottom of each serving bowl and ladle over the cataplana. Enjoy with a glass of Vinho Verde.
