Portuguese seafood cataplana — the Algarve’s traditional dish with mussels and shrimp

Cataplana is the name of the traditional Portuguese clamshell-shaped pot, which seals tightly and keeps the steam inside, giving the dish a deep flavour and an intense aroma. It comes from the Algarve region in southern Portugal, and the most famous dish cooked in it is cataplana de marisco — a rich mixture of seafood cooked in a tomato sauce with white wine, garlic and olive oil.

If you don’t have an original cataplana pot, don’t worry: the same recipe works very well in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 500 g fresh mussels
• 400 g large shrimp
• 300 g white fish fillet (sea bass or cod), cut into pieces
• 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (or 400 g canned tomatoes)
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 1 red pepper, cut into strips
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 60 ml olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Preparation:

1. Clean the mussels: wash them well under cold water, pull off the “beard” and discard any that are open and do not close when tapped lightly.
2. In a large pot (or a cataplana if you have one), heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the red pepper, garlic and paprika; sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaf; cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
5. Pour in the white wine and let it boil for 2 minutes so the alcohol evaporates.
6. Place the fish pieces on top of the sauce, cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add the shrimp and mussels, cover again and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the mussels open and the shrimp turn pink. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
8. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve hot with toasted bread or white rice. Serve with lemon wedges.

Time and servings: Preparation: 20 minutes | Cooking: 30 minutes | Total: about 50 minutes | Servings: 4