Fish and Seafood Stew

Celebratory times with family and friends are approaching, and that's why recipes like the one Carmen brings us today from Yerbabuena en la cocina are very welcome - a timeless recipe that, without much fuss, is ideal for any occasion.

Today's recipe has a strong traditional symbol, making it perfect for enjoying at special celebrations, and for Christmas it can be an especially appetizing and delicious dish that will more than likely guarantee your success.

Depending on the region, there are different types of calderetas and they can be made with meat, fish, or seafood. In any case, it is a stew that was traditionally associated with simple cooking, prepared outdoors in large cauldrons on festive occasions, hence its name; this custom still survives in many villages today.

The fish and seafood caldereta has a seafaring origin; it is a nutritious and flavorful dish that we can adapt to our own taste or budget. The main base is different types of fish, depending on the area and time of year, such as red mullet, grouper, monkfish or more affordable options like sea bass, scorpionfish, etc.; although preferably they should be rock fish, as their firm, compact texture makes them more suitable. To give it a more festive or special touch we add some type of shellfish, like prawns, Norway lobsters, mussels, velvet crabs... a bit of this and that according to your preferences, which, since they go in small quantities, keeps the dish from becoming excessively expensive.

Another noteworthy feature that characterizes calderetas, and which, like paellas, has survived to the present day, is that the custom of presenting this dish directly at the table in the pot in which it was cooked is still maintained—an endearing tradition that you can showcase at its best if you prepare this recipe in a Le Creuset shallow casserole like this one; the vitrified iron will make the food cook evenly and uniformly and will let you go from the hob or flame to the oven without any trouble; moreover, its spectacular design will add a stylish touch to the table.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

1 Kg. Mixed rock fish (grouper, monkfish, sea bass, scorpionfish… etc)
4 Norway lobsters, halved
8 Prawns
8 Mussels
8 Clams
2 Velvet crabs
1 Onion
1 Garlic clove
1 Red pepper
1 Carrot
400 g Crushed tomato
1 Teaspoon ñora pepper flesh
1 Square of dark chocolate
Parsley
200 ml. Water from opening the mussels and clams
50 ml. Brandy
150 ml. White wine
Pepper
Salt
Olive oil

PREPARATION

We pour a drizzle of oil into a shallow casserole dish or casserole, when it begins to smoke, sauté the Norway lobsters, the prawns and the velvet crabs cut in half for one minute. Season with salt, remove and set aside.

In that same pot, add a little more oil and add the onion and carrot that you have previously chopped into small pieces. Sauté over low heat; after a few minutes add the red pepper also chopped fine and leave until everything is well softened. Then add the tomato and ñora pepper flesh. In a mortar crush the garlic, the chocolate and the parsley and add it to the rest of the sofrito. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for about 20 minutes or until you see that the sauce has lost excess liquid and has concentrated.

Meanwhile, put the mussels and clams in a saucepan, add a small splash of wine, close tightly and let them open with steam. When the lid begins to dome, open and remove the mollusks as they open, so they don't shrink from overcooking. Keep this cooking liquid and strain it.

Cut and season the fish into even pieces (if you want to easily remove the bones, I recommend using the Rösle fish tweezers). You can also ask your fishmonger to fillet them and remove the bones; in that case, you should dust them with flour and give them a quick turn in the frying pan to prevent them from breaking.

Put the casserole with the sofrito on the heat, add the brandy and flambé carefully so as not to burn yourself. Add the white wine and leave for a couple of minutes to let the alcohol evaporate.

Arrange the fish in the sofrito pot, add the strained mussel and clam broth and put in an oven preheated to 180º for about 15 minutes; depending on the thickness of the fish you may leave it a little longer or shorter.

A couple of minutes before the end of cooking, add the remaining ingredients, that is, the prawns, the Norway lobsters, the velvet crabs, the clams, the mussels that we had reserved, give a quick boil to unify all the flavors. Serve immediately.