Name: Cataplana (Portuguese Seafood Stew)
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Spanish & Portuguese
Ingredients: 12 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and cut in half crosswise; ¾ teaspoon table salt , divided; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 12 ounces linguica sausage , quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick; 2 garlic cloves , minced; ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 large onion , halved and sliced thin; 1 fennel bulb , stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin lengthwise; 1 red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips; 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes , drained and chopped coarse; 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice; ½ cup dry white wine; 3 pounds littleneck or Manila clams , scrubbed; ½ cup chopped fresh parsley; Lemon wedges

Cataplana (Portuguese Seafood Stew)

By Steve Dunn

Published on March 15, 2022

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

12 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and cut in half crosswise¾ teaspoon table salt, divided2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 12 ounces linguica sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick2 garlic cloves, minced¾ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 large onion, halved and sliced thin1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin lengthwise1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice ½ cup dry white wine 3 pounds littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed½ cup chopped fresh parsley Lemon wedges

Before You Begin

We prefer untreated shrimp, but if your shrimp are treated with salt or additives such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), do not add the salt in step 1. Look for small littleneck or Manila clams that are all about 2 inches across so that they cook at the same rate. If you've had past problems with gritty clams or this is your first time cooking clams, you may wish to purge them before cooking (see “Cleaning and Storing Fresh Hard-Shell Clams” below). We call for linguica sausage, but if it's unavailable, you can substitute chouriço or Spanish chorizo. Most linguica sausages are about 1½ inches thick; if yours are narrower, cut them into ¼-inch coins. Serve with crusty bread.

Instructions

Combine shrimp and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl; refrigerate until needed. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add linguica and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and fat is slightly rendered, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, paprika, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add onion, fennel, bell pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, clam juice, and wine. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.

Increase heat to high and bring mixture to boil. Stir in clams; cover and cook until clams have opened, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Off heat, stir in shrimp. Cover and let stand off heat until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Stir in parsley; season with salt to taste; transfer to serving bowl if desired; and serve, passing lemon wedges separately.