Spanish Fish Stew
By: paragon
Ingredients:
5 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and diced
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
4 almonds, toasted
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
350 g/12 oz cooked lobster
200 g/7 oz cleaned squid
200 g/7 oz cod fillet, skinned
1 tbsp plain flour
6 large raw prawns
6 langoustines
18 live mussels, scrubbed, and beards removed
8 large live clams, scrubbed
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
125 ml/4 fl oz brandy
salt and pepper
Procedure:
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil and cook the onions gently for about 10-15 minutes until lightly golden. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened.
Heat 1 tablespoons of the remaining oil and cook the slices of bread until crisp. Break into pieces and put into a mortar with the almonds and 2 garlic coves. Pound to a fine paste. Alternatively, process in a food processor.
Split the lobster lengthways. Remove and discard the intestinal vein, the stomach sac and the spongy gills. Crack the claws and remove the meat. Take out the flesh from the tail and chop into large chunks. Slice the squid into rings.
Season the monkfish, cod and lobster and dust with flour. Heat a little of the remaining oil and separately brown the monkfish, cod, lobster, squid, prawns and langoustines. Arrange them in a flameproof casserole as they brown.
Add the mussels and clams, the remaining garlic and the parsley. Set the pan over a low heat. Pour over the brandy and ignite. When the flames have died down, add the tomato mixture and just enough water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the musses and clams have opened. Stir in the bread mixture and season. Simmer for another 5 minutes and serve.