Cazuela de Mariscos
This cazuela is a fragrant, brothy seafood stew with sweet mussels, briny clams, and tender squid in a saffron-scented tomato base. It is light yet deeply savory, with white wine adding brightness and parsley and lemon sharpening the finish.
Ingredients
Base del guiso
- 20 mlolive oil
- 150 gonion, finely diced
- 100 gred bell pepper, finely diced
- 12 ggarlic, minced
- 300 gripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 20 gtomato paste
- 150 mldry white wine
- 300 mlfish stock
- 0.25 gsaffron threads
- 3 gsweet paprika
- 1bay leaf
- 4 gfine salt
- 1 gblack pepper
Mariscos
- 500 gmussels, cleaned and debearded
- 400 gclams, purged
- 250 gsquid tubes and tentacles, cleaned, sliced into rings
Terminación
- 10 gflat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 wedgeslemon wedges
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients before you start: dice the onion and bell pepper, mince the garlic, chop the tomatoes, slice the squid, clean and debeard the mussels, and make sure the clams are well purged. Discard any mussels or clams that are cracked or remain open when tapped firmly.
- 2
Warm the fish stock and add the saffron threads to infuse while you begin the stew; this helps draw out their color and aroma more evenly than adding them dry.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- 4
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet paprika, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens slightly; the oil should begin to separate at the edges.
- 5
Pour in the white wine and simmer briskly for 2 minutes to cook off the raw alcohol. Add the warm saffron-infused stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 6
Add the squid to the simmering base and cook gently for 3 minutes. This brief cooking keeps it tender; overcooking at this stage can make it rubbery.
- 7
Add the clams and mussels, cover the pot, and cook for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open. Remove the bay leaf. Discard any shellfish that do not open after cooking.
- 8
Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed. Scatter over the chopped parsley, let the cazuela rest off the heat for 2 minutes so the flavors settle, then serve immediately in warm bowls with lemon wedges on the side.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Serve with crusty bread or boiled potatoes to soak up the broth; add them separately if you want to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- •If using very sandy clams, purge them in cold salted water for 20-30 minutes before cooking; this time is included in prep.
- •Do not salt aggressively at the start if your fish stock is already seasoned and the shellfish are naturally briny.
- •A wide pot works better than a deep narrow one, allowing the shellfish to open evenly.
Background
Cazuela de Mariscos is a coastal seafood stew found across Spanish-speaking South America, with Argentine versions especially associated with Atlantic coastal cooking and Spanish immigrant influence. The combination of shellfish, tomato, wine, and saffron reflects Iberian roots adapted to local markets and home-style cazuela cooking.
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