Sunday Flavors

SEAFOOD CATAPLANA

Cataplana is just the name of the pan used to cook this kind of dish, much like two woks placed together which is traditionally made of copper. The food is placed in the bottom half of the pan, then the hinged lid is closed enabling the ingredients to simmer together, keeping all its flavours. It is used on the stovetop, over low heat. If you can’t find a Cataplana, just use a wok covered with a close fitting lid. Thanks to my friend Joaquim, I was able to cook my Cataplana in the genuine recipient, as you can see in the photo. The Cataplana is just the perfect way to steam seafood. Choose your favorite seafood varieties, layer it in the pan, season with spices and herbs and wait wile the steam works. Prawns, lobster, crab, spider crab, clams, mussels, sea scallops, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, monkfish or other kind of white fish are good options. As The Cataplana cooking time is to short (about 15 to 20 minutes over low heat), you should pre-cook the hard texture seafood such as squid, cuttlefish or octopus before you start to assemble it with the remaining ingredients.

YOU WILL NEED (serves 6):
A Cataplana or a wok with around 40 cm / 15 inches;
100 ml / 3 ½ fl oz extra virgin olive oil;
200g / 7 ¼ oz of onion, sliced;
4 garlic cloves, sliced;
1 teaspoon of paprika;
2 bay leaves;
1 fresh chili, sliced;
Salt;
400g / 14 ¼ oz of fresh ripe skinless tomatoes, sliced (or caned tomatoes);
2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
300g / 10 ½ oz of pre-boiled potatoes, sliced;
2 bell peppers, in stripes (green and red);
1 teaspoon of oregano;
1 handful of fresh coriander, coarsely chopped;
300g / 10 ½ oz of prawns;
300g / 10 ½ oz of lobster or crab;
300g / 10 ½ oz of clams or mussels;
300g / 10 ½ oz of sea scallops;
300g / 10 ½ oz of squid, cuttlefish or octopus;
300g / 10 ½ oz of monkfish or other fish of your preference (optional);
200 ml / 7 ¼ fl oz of white wine;
Juice of ½ lemon;
1 coffee spoon of turmeric powder;
1 coffee spoon of curry;

METHOD:
Precook hard seafood (squid, cuttlefish or octopus) with a cup of water and salt during 20 minutes. Drain, cut in pieces and set aside;
On the stovetop, over low heat, place the bottom half of the pan and drizzle in extra virgin olive oil;
Place the shells in the bottom of the pan to avoid catching;
Add paprika, bay leaves, chili and salt;
Add half of the following ingredients: onion, garlic, tomato, tomato paste, potato, bell pepper, oregano and coriander;
Add all the seafood in layers, starting from the hard texture one (squid, cuttlefish or octopus), progressively to the soft one (sea escallops or fish);
Add the remaining onion, garlic, tomato, tomato paste, potato, bell pepper, oregano and coriander;
Drizzle in white wine;
Whisk lemon juice with saffron and curry powders and add it to the pan;
Add more salt, according to your taste;
Close with the upper lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes;
Cut the heat and open the Cataplana very careful, avoiding the hot steam to burn your face. Serve immediately.