Cataplana Portuguese seafood stew

I'm on a cooking adventure and progressively learning to cook some Portuguese dishes. My first attempt was the Francesinha sandwich that I'm convinced was invented by someone who needed a hangover cure. I can share that recipe another day. But for today, this was my second attempt and it turned out stunningly delicious. It's a Cataplana which is a Portuguese seafood stew.

It's supposed to be cooked in a Cataplana vessel but I don't have that, so a plain old Dutch oven it was. Turned out delicious and I am loving the different flavors in Portuguese food which is completely different to the usual flavors of everything else we've tried and eaten in the past. Briefly, the Cataplana dish originates from the Algarve region of Portugal, known for its fresh seafood. Named after the copper clam-shaped cooking vessel it's prepared in, it combines a variety of seafood, vegetables, and aromatic herbs. The dish reflects the coastal culinary traditions and flavors of Portugal's southern coast.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients for Cataplana:

• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 head of fennel, sliced (remove core)
• 1 bell pepper (red capsicum), cut into matchsticks
• 12 oz / 340g linguica, cut into quarters (Note: Substitute with chorizo if linguica is not available)
• 12 oz / 340g shrimp (prawn), peeled and deveined, and add a little salt to treat the shrimp (prawn)
• 3 fillets of basa fish (or any delicate white fish), cut into 1-inch bite-size pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 28 oz / 800g can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped (Note: Substitute with 8-10 medium or 5 large fresh tomatoes if preferred)
• 3/4 cup / 200ml white wine
• 8 oz / 240ml bottle of clam juice (Note: Substitute with fish stock, vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water if clam juice is not available - see instructions and ingredients needed below. Add more clam juice or stock if you prefer your stew to have more sauce)
• 3 lbs / 1.5kg littleneck clams
• 2 tbp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Crusty bread for dipping

Ingredients for fish or vegetable stock: (OPTIONAL if you don’t have clam juice)

• For Fish Stock:
  • 1 lb fish bones (like cod or halibut)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Water
• For Vegetable Stock:
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Water
• Premade stock cubes or stock powder as needed. You can use either fish or vegetable stock. Whichever you prefer

Instructions:

MAKING THE STOCK

1. Homemade Stock: Follow the instructions provided above to make fish or vegetable stock if you do not have clam juice or do not want to use it.

2. Premade Stock Cubes or Stock Powder: Dissolve the appropriate amount of stock cubes or powder in water according to the instructions on the packaging. Use this as a substitute for clam juice in the recipe.

   1. When using premade stock cubes or stock powder as a substitute for clam juice in a recipe like Cataplana, you can follow the instructions on the packaging of the stock cubes or powder to determine the appropriate amount to use. Typically, stock cubes or powder are quite concentrated, so you'll need to dissolve them in water to make the equivalent amount of stock.
   2. Here's a general guideline:
      • Stock Cubes: One stock cube is usually dissolved in about 500ml (2 cups) of boiling water to make a standard strength stock. Adjust the amount based on the instructions on the packaging and your taste preference.
      • Stock Powder: For stock powder, the amount needed can vary depending on the brand and concentration. Generally, about 1-2 teaspoons of stock powder are dissolved in 500ml (2 cups) of boiling water to make a standard strength stock.

   When substituting premade stock cubes or powder for clam juice in the Cataplana recipe, dissolve the appropriate amount in water according to the instructions on the packaging, and use it in place of clam juice in the recipe. Adjust the seasoning and salt levels in the dish as needed to accommodate the additional flavor from the stock cubes or powder.

   
   

   MAKING THE CATAPLANA

3. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven (If you don’t have a cataplana pot) over medium-high heat. Add linguica and cook for about 4 minutes until it starts to brown and render its fat.

4. Add minced garlic, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook until fragrant, for about a minute.

5. Add sliced onion, fennel, and bell pepper to the pot. Season with salt and cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

6. Stir in chopped tomatoes and let them cook for a few minutes. Add white wine and clam juice, then simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

   • If using fresh tomatoes: Peel, deseed, and chop 8-10 medium or 5 large-sized fresh tomatoes to yield a similar volume as a 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes. Add the fresh tomatoes to the pot and cook for a few minutes until they start to break down. Simmer for 10-15 minutes instead. (Note: If you don’t want to peel or deseed the tomatoes, that’s fine, but it may add a slightly more acidic flavor to the dish)

7. Increase the heat to high, add littleneck clams to the pot, and stir. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-7 minutes until the clams open.

8. Once the clams have opened, turn off the heat and add the shrimp and white fish pieces over the top. Let them cook in the residual heat for about 5 minutes. Check to see if the shrimp or fish pieces are cooked. If not, stir through the shrimp and fish into the stew, cover for another two minutes (do not turn on the heat). Check again. It should be done by this time. You do not want to overcook the shrimp or fish, or they will get tough.

9. Adjust salt to taste.

10. Stir in chopped parsley and check that all clams have opened. Discard any unopened clams.

11. Serve the Cataplana hot with lemon wedges and crusty bread for dipping.

A few things I did differently:

• I used mussels because that was what I had available to me from my local grocery store. Use whatever seafood you like. 
• I used fish stock cubes instead of clam juice because I live in a small town and specialty foods are hard to find near me.
• I like to have some extra sauce so I used 500ml of stock instead of 240ml (based on the original clam juice quantity in the ingredients).
• I only deseeded the tomatoes, I didn't bother to peel them because that just seemed like a lot of effort and I was not about that.

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