Seafood Fideos

SEAFOOD FIDEUà

Steps:

• Boil the kettle. Empty the mussels into a colander and run under cold water. Throw away any with broken shells. Pick through the shells, tapping each one on the side of the sink - they should be closed or should slowly close when tapped - if they stay open, throw them away. If any of the shells still have barnacles or stringy beards attached, pull them off with a cutlery knife and rinse the shells well. Keep in the colander, covered with a cold, damp cloth, until you're ready to cook. Peel the prawn shells on the body section only - leave the heads and tails intact. Score down the backs and pull out any gritty entrails. Chill until you're ready to cook.
• Put the saffron in a small cup, cover with 50ml kettle-hot water and set aside for 10 mins. If using vermicelli, put in a bowl and crush to little pieces (about 1cm long) with your hands.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan with at least a 3cm lip, or a 40cm paella pan. Add the onion and stir around the pan for 5 mins until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the vermicelli and cook for 5 mins, stirring from time to time, until the vermicelli is toasted brown. Stir in the paprika.
• Keeping the heat moderate, stir through the monkfish, squid and saffron with its water, seasoning well. Spread the ingredients out in an even layer, then pour over the hot stock and scatter the tomatoes on top. Bring to a simmer, then cover the whole dish with a tight-fitting lid (or foil). Turn the heat to medium and cook for 6 mins.
• Uncover and stir to incorporate the dry top layer of pasta. Push the mussels into the pasta so the hinges are buried in the bottom of the dish, and they stand straight up. Arrange the prawns on top, cover tightly and cook for another 6 mins or until the mussels are open, the prawns are pink and the pasta is cooked through. Leave to simmer for another 2-3 mins to cook off most of the remaining liquid (leave a little in the pan to prevent the pasta from sticking together). Allow to sit for 2-3 mins, then squeeze over the lemon juice and arrange the wedges on top. Scatter with parsley before serving.

FIDEO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the pasta: In a large oven-safe saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Break the pasta (!) into smaller pieces, about 2 inches long, and add to the oil. Season with salt. Stir with a wooden spoon so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, tossing to coat with the oil. Toast the pasta, stirring often, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Build the sauce: In a blender, purée the onion, garlic, tomatoes and 3 1/2 cups chicken stock until smooth.
• Finish the pasta: Add the red pepper flakes and butternut squash to the pan. Pour the tomato mixture from the blender over the pasta and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then place the saucepan in the center of the oven. Bake until it thickens to a stew-like consistency and the pasta is cooked, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of stock if too thick. Stir in the basil and sprinkle with some cheese.
• Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Squeeze the lime over the pasta.

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.

SOPA SECA DE FIDEOS

Steps:

• For dried chiles, toast them on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning regularly and pressing flat with a spatula, until very aromatic, about 30 seconds. In a small bowl, cover the chiles with hot water and re-hydrate 30 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even soaking. Drain and discard the water. (Canned chiles need only be removed from their sauce.)
• Roast the unpeeled garlic on the griddle or skillet, turning occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes; cool and peel. Roast 1 1/2 pounds of the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on 1 side, about 6 minutes, then flip and roast the other side. Cool, then peel, collecting all the juices with the tomatoes.
• In a food processor or blender, process the roasted tomatoes, rehydrated or canned chiles, and garlic to a medium-fine puree. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in medium-size (4-quart) pot (such as a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela) over medium-high. Add the puree and stir for about 5 minutes as it sears and thickens. Set aside.
• If using chorizo, cook in a little oil over medium heat, breaking up large lumps as you go, until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Scoop it out with a slotted spoon, draining as much oil as possible back into the skillet.
• Pour 6 tablespoons of the remaining oil into the skillet and return to the heat. When quite hot (drop a stray noodle in ? it should sizzle but not brown immediately), lay in about 1/3 of the noodle nests to fry until noticeably browned, about 1 minute, then flip and brown the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon, draining as much oil as possible back into the skillet, and drain on paper towels. Continue until all have been browned.
• Add the broth, oregano, and pepper to the tomato sauce. Core the remaining 1 pound of tomatoes and chop into 1/4-inch bits. Add and simmer briskly until the sauce thickens to the consistency of a juicy tomato sauce, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt.
• Add the noodles. In about 2 minutes pull the "nests" apart (they'll have softened enough to do it at this point), then add the zucchini and the chorizo (if you're using it). Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but still firm, about 2 minutes.
• If using the cream, add it now, raise the heat to medium-high and boil quickly until the sauce returns to its previous consistency. Taste again and readjust the salt, if necessary.
• Stir in half of the grated cheese, scoop into a warm serving dish, sprinkle on the remaining cheese and the cilantro garnish, and it's ready to serve.

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.

SEAFOOD FIDEO

Steps:

• Place the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and garlic in a blender and puree until smooth. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons Annatto Oil over medium heat. Add the pureed vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of Annatto Oil. Add the spaghetti and sauté until golden. Add the clam juice, 6 cups water, saffron and smoked paprika. Stir in the pureed vegetables. Cook until the spaghetti is al dente. Using a slotted spoon, remove as much spaghetti as possible from the pot to warm bowls. Cover and keep warm. Add the black cod, shrimp, clams, fennel and peas to the pot. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the crab and kale and heat through. Discard any clams that don't open. Divide the seafood and broth over the pasta and serve hot.