Cataplana De Marisco (2 Pessoas) Recipe

Clean and portion

Rinse clams and mussels under cold water; discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Pat prawns dry, leave shells on for more flavor, remove vein. If using whole lobster, split in half lengthwise or cut into large chunks; reserve tomalley if desired.

If you prefer, briefly rinse shellfish again just before cooking. Keep seafood chilled until ready to cook.

Sweat aromatics

Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed pan with a tight-fitting lid (a cataplana if available) over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter melts and foams, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5–7 minutes.

Add the sliced red bell pepper and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant—do not brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook down until they lose most of their raw brightness, about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Deglaze

Raise heat to medium-high, pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the fish/seafood stock, lemon juice, smoked and sweet paprika, saffron threads (if using), bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Layer and steam

Reduce heat to medium. Place the lobster pieces into the simmering sauce first (they take longest). After 2 minutes, nestle the prawns into the sauce with shells touching liquid. Scatter clams and mussels on top. Spoon some broth over everything.

Cover with a tight lid (or close the cataplana). Steam until clams and mussels open and prawns are opaque—about 6–8 minutes. Discard any clams or mussels that remain closed. The lobster should be firm and cooked through; total steaming time from when lobster first went in will be about 8–10 minutes depending on size.

If your lobster was in large whole halves and needs extra time, remove shellfish when done and simmer sauce a further 2–3 minutes to finish lobster, then return lobster to warm in sauce briefly.

Finish

Remove the pan from heat. Discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle chopped parsley and optional cilantro over the shellfish. Drizzle with the teaspoon of olive oil and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if needed.

Serve immediately in the cataplana or transfer to a shallow bowl, making sure to spoon plenty of broth. Offer crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.

Estimated resting note: Serve hot. Leftovers refrigerate up to 24 hours; remove shellfish from broth for best texture and reheat gently.