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Zarzuela Seafood Stew

Zarzuela Seafood Stew

Think of Spain and you think seafood. So when you consider a stew, Zarzuela Seafood Stew is a surprising and delicious must.
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients
  

  • 2 slices bacon chopped fine (or ¼ cup bacon bits)
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika optional
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 4 threads saffron
  • 1 cup of canned or fresh diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups fish stock/ stock made from shrimp shells/ chicken broth
  • ¼ cup almond flour or finely ground almonds
  • 1 lb clams or/and mussels with or without shells (can be frozen)
  • 1 lb medium shrimp shells removed (can be used to make stock) or white fish (can be frozen)
  • 1 lb medium scallops can be frozen
  • 1 bunch of curly kale chopped, optional (and not traditional)
Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley optional
  • 2 stalks of green onion diced crosswise, optional
  • Buttered / olive oil brushed toast optional

Method
 

  1. On medium heat, in a large deep saucepan (or large pot for surface area), brown bacon.
  2. Add onion and garlic and stirring from time to time until onion is starting to tenderize.
  3. Add red bell pepper to the bacon-onion mixture and cook until onion is transparent and soft.
  4. Stir in bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, paprika and cook for 2 more minutes where there is no moisture in the bottom of the pan.
  5. Add white wine to pan (also know as deglazing the pan).
  6. Stir in saffron. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste and fish stock.
  7. Bring the saucepan contents to a simmer.
  8. Stir in almond flour/ ground almonds and allow contents to reduce on a simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.
  9. Stir in clams or/and mussels and cook for 2 minutes.
  10. Stir in shrimp and scallops until shrimp turns pink and scallops are firmer. Optional: stir in kale (will turn vibrant green)
  11. Season with salt, pepper.
  12. Garnish with parsley and green onion.
  13. Serve with buttered / olive oil brushed toast, if desired.