Entree: Spain – Valencia – Suquet de Peix (Valencian fisherman's stew of fish and shellfish cooked with potatoes and a garlic‑almond picada)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Total
40 min
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 6 oz/170 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 0.5 oz/15 g)
- 1 ripe tomato, grated (about 6 oz/170 g)
- 1 small dried ñora pepper, rehydrated and scraped (about 8 g)
- 1 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 4 cups (960 ml) fish stock
- 1 lb (454 g) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2‑inch slices
- 2 firm white fish fillets, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each, cut into chunks
- 8 oz (225 g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 mussels, cleaned (about 10 oz/285 g)
- For the picada: 2 tbsp (30 g) blanched almonds, toasted and crushed; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped; pinch saffron soaked in 1 tbsp (15 ml) warm water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges and extra parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a heavy wide pot and sauté the onion until soft, add garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in ñora pulp, grated tomato and paprika and cook down into a thick sofrito. Deglaze with white wine, add fish stock and potatoes, bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are nearly tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the shellfish and fish chunks, then stir in the picada (crushed toasted almonds, garlic, parsley and saffron water) to enrich the broth. Simmer gently until fish is opaque, shrimp are pink and mussels have opened, about 5–8 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, serve hot with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.
