This hearty, fragrant and fresh tasting stew is perfect for a warm summer’s evening. Serve with crusty French bread and a crisp Soave Classico.
Preparation time
30 minutes
Cooking time
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 200g fresh cod
- 300g shell-on North Atlantic prawns
- 500g fresh mussels
- 500g clams
- 900ml fish stock
- 1/2 tsp saffron strands
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 600g floury main-crop potatoes
- 2 leeks
- 3 tbsp oil
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 10 tbsp aïoli
- 2 tbsp flatleaf parsley
Method
Step 1: Cover the cod with cold water and leave for an hour.
Step 2: Peel the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Heat a pan, add the mussels, clams and a splash of fish stock, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Strain the liquid into a bowl and allow to cool. Remove the meat from shells.
Step 3: Put remaining fish stock, mussel and clam liquor (leaving a tablespoon aside), saffron, lemon juice, prawn heads and shells into a pan and simmer until reduced to 600ml. Strain.
Step 4: Cut and peel potatoes into 1.5cm cubes. Put in salted water and simmer until tender. Drain. Slice the leeks. Heat the oil in a pan, add garlic, leeks and a splash of fish stock. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Drain the cod and put into a pan with cold water, cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool then break the cod into large flakes. Cover and keep warm.
Step 5: Add the aïoli and a splash of the fish stock and stir. Add the remaining stock to the leeks and simmer. Stir in potatoes, prawns, mussels, clams and cod and warm for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the aïoli mixture, parsley and seasoning, leave until hot and slightly thickened, but don’t allow it to boil. Serve straight away.
From Rick Stein’s Spain by Rick Stein (£25, BBC Books)