Seafood potpourri / Zarzuela

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 tbsp oil (olive oil)
• 1 onion(s), halved
• 500 ml water
• 150 ml white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 500 g mussels (clams with shell), cleaned
• 400 g squid(s), cleaned – or rings
• 250 g monkfish (or another fish with white, firm flesh)
• Flour, for turning
• 2 cloves garlic
• 30 g almonds, roasted, peeled
• 1 onion(s), chopped
• 500 g tomatoes, peeled, pitted, chopped
• 1 pinch of pure saffron
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 5 tbsp oil (olive oil)
• 400 g lobster – crab, whole, with shell
• ½ lemon(s), the juice
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Sarsuela/Zarzuelea

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan and lightly brown the onion halves. Add the water, wine, and bay leaf and simmer for 5 minutes. Then cook the mussels until they have opened. Strain the mussel liquid into a small saucepan. Set the mussels aside, discarding any onion pieces and any mussels that have not opened. Cut the squid into thin rings and the fish into large pieces, and coat both in flour. Set aside. Add any fish bones, heads, tails, and fish skin to the mussel liquid and simmer over high heat until the liquid reduces to 1/4 liter. Strain into a bowl. Grind the garlic and almonds in a mortar and pestle to a fine paste, then mix well into the fish liquid. Set aside. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast-iron casserole dish and sauté the onion until translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, saffron, and brandy and simmer with the lid on for about 5 minutes over low heat. Meanwhile, heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the squid rings and fish pieces one after the other until golden brown, then add them to the casserole dish. Add the king prawns and gently stir in the garlic and almond mixture with the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, add the mussels, and simmer with the lid on for about 5 minutes at a low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately while hot. You can also finish the dish in the oven. In this case, the remaining cooking time is 15 minutes at 200°C. This dish is ideal for larger servings. Simply increase the number of ingredients according to the number of people. The cooking time remains the same!