Taste of Portugal- Cataplana Algarvia

For the Cataplana Algarvia

¼pt/½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium cooked potato - peeled and sliced finely
½ small onion, sliced finely
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 mackerel cutlets
4 small cuttlefish or squid - opened
½ lobster cut in half lengthways
4 green king prawns - shelled and deveined
4 live black mussels - cleaned
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley - torn
about 1pt/2 cups base stock

Preparation method

• To make the Lisbon paste, place the peppers into a hot char-gril panl and char all over.
• Place in a bowl and cover with cling film and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Remove the cling film, cut the peppers into quarters and remove the skin with a knife.
• Blend the peppers with garlic in a food processor to form a paste.
• Add the olive oil with the motor still running.
• Season, to taste, with salt.

• To make the base stock, heat the oil, onion, garlic and bay leaf over medium heat.
• Add the Lisbon paste and sauté.
• Add the anchovies and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 3 minutes.
• Add wine, star anise and stock and cook a further 20 minutes.

To make the cataplana of seafood, heat a cataplana (a saucepan with tight fitting lid is a good substitute).
Fry the olive oil, onions, garlic, Lisbon paste and potatoes. Add the fish, mussels, lobster and a ladle of base stock. Close it and partly cook for 2 minutes.
Add the rest of the seafood, cover with the remaining stock and parsley, re-cover with the lid and cook for a further 4 minutes.

To serve, open the cataplana at the table to capture the aromas.