Seafood Stew with Frutti di Mare

Ingredients

• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 2 large onions
• 3 Carrots
• 300 g sea bass fillet
• 300 g grouper fillet
• 300 g Atlantic horse mackerel fillet
• 8 jumbo shrimp (pre‑cooked, peeled, raw)
• 250 g fresh squid rings
• 500 g pre‑cooked mussels
• 250 g pre‑cooked Venus clams
• 750 ml dry white wine
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• about 4 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 2 Bay leaves
• 400 ml fish stock (glass bottle)
• Cayenne pepper
• 0.5 tsp saffron strands
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 lemon (juice and zest)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Score the tomatoes, blanch them, peel and core. Dice the flesh into small cubes, removing stem ends. Peel the onions and slice thinly.

2. 2.

   Rinse the fish fillets, shrimp, and squid rings under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

3. 3.

   Wash mussels and Venus clams thoroughly. Discard damaged shells; let the rest drain in a sieve. Heat white wine in a pot, cover the mussels, and simmer on medium heat for 4‑5 minutes, shaking occasionally. Strain through a sieve, catching the wine liquid. Open mussels, leave Venus clams in shell. Throw away unopened ones.

4. 4.

   Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add shrimp and squid rings; sear each side for 1‑2 minutes on high heat, season with salt, then remove. Do not wash the pan.

5. 5.

   Prepare a cazuela (or similar pot). Cut fish into cubes, season, coat lightly with flour. Heat remaining oil in the pan and sear fish portions for 1 minute per side on high heat. Alternate layering fish, squid rings, and mussels in the cazuela. Top with shrimp.

6. 6.

   Add onions to the pan; sauté in remaining oil over medium heat for 2‑3 minutes while stirring. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, rosemary, and chopped garlic; cook together for 2 minutes. Pour wine liquid through a fine sieve into the pot, add fish stock, and reduce on high heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt, saffron, and cayenne pepper, then pour over seafood in the cazuela until just covered, adding water if needed. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently on low heat for 10‑15 minutes.

7. 7.

   Season the stew with lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt; serve with fresh white bread.