Zarzuela

Name: Zarzuela
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 large onion, chopped; 3 tablespoons Spanish brandy or cognac; 1 small dried chile or 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes; Pinch of saffron threads, optional; 2 large tomatoes (drained canned are fine), cored and diced; Salt and black pepper to taste; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 1/2 pounds mussels, cleaned (page 208); 1 1/2 pounds littleneck or mahogany clams or cockles, well scrubbed; 1/2 pound shrimp (15 to 30 per pound), peeled; 1/2 pound squid, cleaned (page 98), cut into rings, tentacles left intact; 1 pound fillets of halibut, monkfish, grouper, or other firm white fish, skinned and cut into 1-inch chunks; Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

December 14, 2011

Zarzuela—the word means “medley” in Spanish—unites a variety of fish and is, like bouillabaisse, a dish whose ingredients can be varied according to what you can find. The traditional sauce accompaniment for Zarzuela is Romesco (page 606), but the variation makes that superfluous. I love this with crusty bread.

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