Cataplana de marisco

Cataplana de marisco is the Algarve’s signature dish and its most beautiful piece of cookware in one: clams, mussels, shrimp and squid steamed together in a clam-shaped copper pan whose sealed halves trap every drop of aroma.

Inside, a base of tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and white wine turns into a broth that tastes intensely of the sea — the cataplana’s pressure-cooker effect concentrates everything.

No cataplana pan? A heavy skillet with a tight lid does the job honorably. What is non-negotiable is the crusty bread — this is a communal, middle-of-the-table dish, and the broth is the prize everyone is really after.

Cataplana de Marisco Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 40 minutes · Total: 50 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~352 per serving

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced (or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup fish or seafood stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound fresh clams, scrubbed
• 1 pound fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ pound squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a cataplana or heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the peppers and cook 3 minutes more.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, both paprikas and the bay leaf, and cook until the tomatoes break down into a sauce, about 10 minutes.
4. Pour in the wine and stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
5. Add the clams and mussels, close the cataplana (or cover), and cook 5 minutes, until the shells begin to open.
6. Add the shrimp and squid, stir gently, cover again and cook another 5 minutes.
7. Discard any unopened shells, shower with parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread.

Recipe Notes

• Chunks of firm white fish or a few slices of chouriço are classic Algarve variations.
• Do not overcook the squid and shrimp — they need only those final minutes.
• The cataplana comes to the table closed; opening it in front of your guests is half the theater.