Fideos With Mussels Food

FIDEOS

Steps:

• For the aioli: Add the garlic, paprika and a pinch of salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the lemon juice and egg yolks and pulse until combined.
• With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream. Do not rush this step; it should it should take about 1 minute. If the oil is added too quickly, the aioli may break. Season with more salt and lemon juice as needed. Serve cold or at room temperature. The aioli may be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• For the shrimp stock: Combine the shrimp heads and shells and 2 cups water in a small saucepot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the saffron. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the saffron time to infuse the stock. Strain the shrimp stock and reserve.
• For the fideos: Set a paella pan over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and all of the butter. Add the vermicelli and toast, stirring regularly, until light golden brown, about 5 minutes; do not walk away during this step, as the noodles can burn easily. Transfer the noodles to a bowl.
• Coat the paella pan again with another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, add the chorizo and cook until the spices from the sausage begin to color the oil. Add the onions and cook until softened and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and season with salt. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the broiler.
• Add the toasted vermicelli, the reserved shrimp stock and the chicken stock; it should come to 4 cups total liquid. Lower the heat to medium and cook until all liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
• Season the shrimp with salt and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the noodles are cooked but still have a little al dente bite to them, stir in the asparagus, then arrange the shrimp and mussels on top of the noodles. Transfer the paella pan to the oven and broil until the top is golden brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes; rotate the pan halfway through for even browning. Watch closely during broiling to prevent burning. You'll know the paella is ready when the top of the spaghetti is nicely browned, the shrimp are bright pink and the mussels have popped open. Garnish with the parsley and serve with lemon wedges and smoked paprika aioli.

FIDEOS WITH MUSSELS

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat until hot but not smoking, then add fideos and cook, stirring frequently and turning over, until golden brown (nests will break up), 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer pasta with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Add 2/3 cup onion and 1 teaspoon garlic to oil remaining in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes, then stir in tomatoes with juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Increase heat to moderately high and simmer, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have broken down into a very thick paste, about 25 minutes.
• While sofrito simmers, cook chorizo, bay leaf, and remaining 2/3 cup onion and 1 teaspoon garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in an 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil, then boil 5 minutes. Add stock and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and return to a boil, then add mussels. Cook, tightly covered, over moderate heat, until mussels open wide, 3 to 6 minutes. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 6 minutes.) Transfer mussels with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Discard bay leaf.
• Add mussel-cooking liquid and browned fideos to sofrito and boil, uncovered, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender and has absorbed most of liquid, 12 to 15 minutes. Add mussels and 1 tablespoon parsley and cook, tossing, until mussels are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with remaining tablespoon parsley.
• *Available at some supermarkets and tienda.com (888-472-1022).

SEAFOOD FIDEOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Lay the dry vermicelli pasta on a sheet pan and toast until it is all a nice amber color, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cook the toasted vermicelli in boiling salted water until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the vermicelli and set aside.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the shallots and garlic in a large rondeau pan over medium heat. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the pipperade, heavy cream and saffron stock. Cook until the sauce has reduced to a thick sauce (nape), 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cooked vermicelli and stir until fully incorporated. Add the mussels and steam until they fully open, a few minutes.
• While the mussels are cooking, saute the shrimp in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until just cooked. Season with salt.
• Add the sauteed shrimp to the fideos. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fideos and sprinkle with the chopped herbs. Serve immediately.
• Sweat the bell peppers, onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Halfway through the cooking process, add chile flakes and paprika. Continue to sweat until most of the liquid is gone. Remove from the heat and add the piquillo peppers, poblano and vinegar.
• Put the wine and saffron into a pot. Turn the heat to high and reduce the wine by half. By then the saffron will be bloomed and ready. Add the veg stock and bring to boil. Let boil for a few minutes, and then cool it down.

CATALAN FIDEUà

Steps:

• Make the broth: Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add small shrimp, garlic, hot pepper, fennel, coriander, bay leaf and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper, stir to coat and cook 2 minutes more.
• Stir in tomato paste and cook 5 minutes, until mixture begins to look dry. Add fish bones, clams, 1 pound mussels and 8 cups water; cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
• Strain through a sturdy mesh sieve into another pot, pushing on solids with a wooden spoon. Discard solids and keep strained broth hot. Taste for salt. Broth should be well seasoned. (Can be made ahead, though eat it within 24 hours, or you can freeze it.)
• Make the fideuà: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put fideus noodles in a large roasting pan or baking sheet. (If using Italian pasta, break it into 2-inch lengths first.) Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil over noodles and toss with hands to coat. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning with tongs if necessary, until noodles are golden brown. (May be done in advance.)
• Place a cazuela or wide heavy pot on the stove. Add toasted noodles, pressing down a bit. Ladle 3 cups hot broth over noodles and bring to a boil. Push down on the noodles with a wooden spoon as they soften into the broth. Add saffron-infused water and cook for a minute, then stir to mix. Add enough hot broth to cover pasta by 1 inch. Lower heat and cook at a simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more broth (and adjust heat) if mixture dries out.
• Scatter remaining 1 pound mussels over the top, then push them down until barely submerged. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until shells open. Turn off heat. The noodles should be cooked but firm, and the mixture a little soupy.
• If using the large shell-on shrimp, season them and sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes per side.
• Ladle into individual soup plates. Mix the parsley with the orange zest. Garnish fideus with shrimp, if using, the parsley mixture and a spoonful of allioli.