how2heroes » Portuguese Cataplana

Seafood » Portuguese Cataplana

Traditionally, a copper cataplana pot is used to steam and serve this family-style meal but you can use whatever you have on hand. Assembled with a garlicy red pepper sauce, tomatoes, chorizo and an array of seafood, it makes an incredible presentation when you pop the lid to reveal the finished steaming stew.

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Ingredients

Lisbon Sauce

1 charred red pepper, peeled and seeded
4 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt

Stew Base

4 tomatoes, rough chopped & seeded
1 large sweet onion, quartered & sliced
2 Portuguese chorizos, half minced, half sliced
16 oz clam juice or chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, chopped
⅛ + ¼ + ¼ cup olive oil (you'll need to add these separately)
2 bay leaves
pinch of fresh chopped parsley
½ tsp red pepper flakes
sea salt

Additional Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1 lb mussels
1 lb clams
2 lbs squid tube, cleaned & chopped
½ lb conch, sliced (or scallops to be added with shrimp if you substitute)
½ onion, quartered & sliced
1 cup white wine
1 lb shrimp, shelled and tails intact
pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ cup store bought tomato sauce
4 fillets of sea bass
chopped parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges
salt

Special Equipment

copper cataplana pot, wok with foil cover, or pot with lid

How-to

Lisbon Sauce

Add red pepper, garlic, olive oil & salt to a blender and puree. Set aside

Stew Base

Remove sausage from casing and mince half and slice the other half. Fry in ⅛ cup of olive oil, until slightly caramelized, remove chorizo from pot (set aside) and reserve cooking oil
Add additional ¼ cup of olive oil to the pan. Add tomatoes and saute on high heat until tomatoes have softened, about 3 minutes. Add salt if desired. Add onions and another ¼ cup of olive oil and salt to taste. Cook onions for 2-3 minutes
Add chorizo, bay leaves, parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes and clam juice and reduce by half on high heat for about 7-8 minutes. The consistency should be chunky. Remove bay leaves and turn off heat

Assemble the Dish

Heat cataplana pot on stove top (medium flame), add oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and saute 1 minute. Be careful not to let garlic burn
Add mussels and clams first, followed by squid and conch. Add the onion and top with the Lisbon sauce, white wine, stew base, salt lightly, and stir to combine. Add tomato sauce.
After stirring, top stew with fish. Top with fresh parsley. Put cataplana on high heat for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, and add shrimp and lemon wedges. Close the cataplana and let it stew for an additional 5 minutes
Ladle into serving bowls with a nice piece of crusty bread

*Charred red peppers will keep in the refrigerator for a few days with the addition of 1 tbsp of lemon juice or red wine vinegar

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Comments (6)

Posted Sunday, November 6, 2022, at 2:27 pm by Iberica:

Cataplanas are amazing to cook with. So versatile.
Posted Sunday, February 24, 2013, at 1:04 pm by AthaCliath:

This is pure heaven, i have cooked it many times. A real treat for lovers of shellfish and fish. The coming together of flavours is perfect. 5stars.
Posted Sunday, August 2, 2009, at 8:18 pm by Bea Viera:

I made this yesterday for my family. They loved it! Obrigado, Simone.
Posted Friday, July 31, 2009, at 9:09 pm by Bea Viera:

Such a delicious looking dish. Will try it soon.
Posted Friday, July 31, 2009, at 1:10 am by fiona:

I have been lucky enough to have this lovely dish, made by this lovely man.
Posted Friday, July 31, 2009, at 12:38 am by Mike Mai:

i <3 seafood. that'd be a dream dish

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Portuguese Cataplana