Cataplana (Portuguese Fish Stew)

Name: Cataplana (Portuguese Fish Stew)
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 8 ounces linguiça, cut into 1/4-inch slices; 1 large yellow onion (about 1 pound), cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 3 cups); 2 medium-size fresh Cubanelle chiles, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups); 4 large garlic cloves, sliced (2 tablespoons); 0.5 cup dry white wine; 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved; 2 cups clam juice; 2 bay leaves; 1.5 teaspoons paprika; 0.5 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed; 2 cups packed chopped kale; 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt; 0.25 teaspoon black pepper; 8 littleneck clams (about 9 ounces), scrubbed; 8 ounces peeled and deveined tail-on raw large shrimp (about 12 shrimp); 4 ounces cleaned small squid tentacles (12 to 15 small tentacles), rinsed; 8 mussels (about 4 ounces), scrubbed and debearded; Portuguese rolls, warmed

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This Cataplana from F&W's Culinary Director-at-Large Justin Chapple is his version of a savory feast of shellfish and smoky linguiça hailing from the Algarve in Portugal. Named for the vessel it is traditionally cooked and served in, the stew gets lots of flavor from the Portuguese linguiça included, but you can substitute Spanish-style chorizo or even kielbasa in a pinch.

By

Justin Chapple

Published on May 2, 2022

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Yield:

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces linguiça, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 large yellow onion (about 1 pound), cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 3 cups)
2 medium-size fresh Cubanelle chiles, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, sliced (2 tablespoons)
½ cup dry white wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
2 cups packed chopped kale
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 littleneck clams (about 9 ounces), scrubbed
8 ounces peeled and deveined tail-on raw large shrimp (about 12 shrimp)
4 ounces cleaned small squid tentacles (12 to 15 small tentacles), rinsed
8 mussels (about 4 ounces), scrubbed and debearded
Portuguese rolls, warmed

Directions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add linguiça; cook, stirring often, until fat just starts to render, about 3 minutes. Add onion, chiles, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are just softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add wine to mixture in Dutch oven; cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven, until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and juices, clam juice, bay leaves, paprika, and saffron. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes.
Stir kale, salt, and black pepper into stew. Nestle clams, shrimp, squid, and mussels into stew. Cover and increase heat to medium-high; cook until mussels and clams open and shrimp and squid are just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Discard any closed clams or mussels. Serve with warm rolls.

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Suggested Pairing

Tropical-fruited Portuguese white: Quinta da Fonte Souto Branco