Spanish Fisherman's Seafood Stew (Zarzuela de Mariscos)
An elegant Spanish seafood stew with shrimp, mussels, clams, and fish in a rich almond-tomato sauce. Perfect for special occasions.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
- food processor or mortar
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- pinch saffron threads (optional)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups fish stock or seafood broth
- 1 lb firm white fish, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 lb clams, scrubbed
- 1/2 lb squid rings (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish
- lemon wedges for serving
- 1/2 cup toasted almonds (for picada)
- 2 slices bread, fried in olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (for picada)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (for picada)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for picada)
Instructions
- Make the picada by blending almonds, fried bread, garlic, and parsley into a thick paste.
- Heat olive oil and sauté onion and fennel 5–7 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic, tomatoes, paprika, and saffron. Cook 10 minutes.
- Add wine and fish stock. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in the picada and cook until sauce thickens.
- Add fish and cook 3 minutes. Add shrimp and squid; cook 2 minutes.
- Add mussels and clams. Cover and steam until they open.
- Serve with parsley and lemon wedges.
Notes
The picada gives authentic flavor—don't skip it. Use any seafood you like. Optional saffron deepens flavor.