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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.
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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

Instructions
 

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