Zarzuela—the word means “medley” in Spanish—unites a variety of fish and is, like bouillabaisse, a dish whose ingredients can be varied according to what you can find. The traditional sauce accompaniment for Zarzuela is Romesco (page 606), but the variation makes that superfluous. I love this with crusty bread.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the oil in a deep skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid and place over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the brandy and bring the mixture to a boil. Crumble the chile and saffron if you’re using it into the skillet, then stir in the tomatoes along with a little salt and pepper. When the tomatoes break up, add the wine and bring to a boil.
Step 2
Add the mussels and clams and cover. Cook until the first of these begin to open, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, squid, and fish and cook until the shrimp is pink, the fish cooked through, and most of the mollusks open, another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish and serve.
Nutty Zarzuela
Step 3
In a food processor or blender, process 1 cup toasted almonds or hazelnuts with the garlic, onion, and 1/2 cup water until a paste is formed. Add this paste to the skillet in step 1 where you would have added the garlic and onion. Double the amount of white wine and proceed as directed.
