Fideuá con Mariscos y Pescados

Fideuá is the pasta version of paella from Valencia on the Mediterranean coast. For my research about this dish I talked with Julia, the Assistant Marina Manager. I asked her about the difference in the way that Italians and Spanish cook pasta. I said, "From what I've read the Italians cook pasta al dente." Julia replied, "Yes, yes, al dente." I continued, "The Spanish..."; she immediately cut me off. "The Spanish over cook it. I like al dente," she said. "Fair enough," I said.

Fideuá is a special pasta that is kind of like macaroni, but it's not. Yes, it's short, bent, and hollow. However, it's longer than macaroni when cooked, bent like a J and not a U, and the hollow part is the width of a hair, making it nearly solid.

Ingredients

• 120g/4oz Pasta
• 500ml/16oz Fish Stock
• pinch of Saffron
• 60 ml/2oz Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic (minced)
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 small Red Bell Pepper (Roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into strips)
• 350g/12oz Clams (Manila or Little Neck)
• 120g/4oz Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 120g/4oz Monk Fish (cross cut bone in)
• 120g/4oz Squid (cleaned cut into rings & keep the tentacles)
• 2 lemon wedges

How To Put It Together

1. Start with the big ugly fish. Skin and fillet, or have your fish monger do it. You must keep the head, skin, and the bones for the stock.

Monk fish with 8" (20 cm) chefs knife

Monk fish meat

2. Then do the prep on the remainder of the seafood. Retain shrimp shells and heads for stock.
3. Make the fish stock per your favorite method.
4. Roast a red bell pepper at 375º F (190º C) for 30 minutes. Seed, peel, and slice.

Mise en place (left to right)
Front Row: Shrimp, fish, and squid
Middle Row: Clams, olive oil, and red pepper with minced garlic
Back Row: Stock with saffron, and pasta

At this point your prep is done. You can take the night off order a pizza, watch a movie, and complete the dish tomorrow. Or you can continue on.

5. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

6. Add the pasta and saute for 3 minutes or until golden.

7. Remove the pasta, but retain the oil.

8. Add the garlic and red pepper to the hot oil. Saute for one minute.

9. Add the shrimp, fish, and squid rings to the peppers and garlic. Saute until the shrimp are pink.

10. Add stock, saffron and salt. Give it a good stir.

11. Add the pasta and clams. Give it a good stir.

12. At this point you can place the pan in a 450º f (230º c) oven or keep it on the stove and reduce to a simmer and put a lid on the pan.

13. Cook for 10 minutes and serve with lemon wedges.

Review

• Shirlee - Liked It

• John - Liked It

• Do Again - Yes, with modifications
  

• Leftovers - None

What I'll Do Next Time

Looking at the geography and history of a region will tell you a lot about a recipe. For me this dish says that seafood is king, cooking fuel is expensive, and cooking utensils are few. So what you get is this big blend of ingredients in a single pot with saffron acting as the soothing blanket of aroma and color. The single ingredients are not allowed to be expressed at their peak. To me the seafood was over cooked, and that can not be avoided to get the pasta done and flavored in a single pot.

I will do this again, but with the following changes:

1. Cook the pasta separately in stock and saffron until al dente.

2. Steam the clams and mussels in a separate pot.

3. Saute the shrimp, fish, and squid in olive oil and garlic until the shrimp are pink.

4. Drain the pasta reserving the stock.

5. Combine the pasta, steamed shellfish and sauteed seafood. Add hot stock as needed to lightly sauce.

6. Then serve. Seafood and pasta will be done to perfection