SUQUET DE RAP I GAMBES - MONKFISH AND PRAWN STEW

This is the first time I cook this recipe. It is a very traditional way to eat seafood in many parts of Catalonia. Monkfish is highly regarded in the culinary world, often referred to as the "poor man's lobster". It's hard to find in the area we live in, and I was very lucky to buy some a few days ago, and at a very good price, in fact it was almost half the price of the other fish fillets. I bought the whole lot, almost 2 kg and put it in the freezer for us to enjoy. To make this recipe, I used a cookbook from Nandu Jubany, a Catalan chef with a Michelin star that lives near my hometown in Catalonia, and from a Blog called 'Els fogons de Can Sibina'. I got some ideas from both and then created my own. I must say that it turned out absolutely delicious 😋 !

Ingredients

Fish stock

fish head and bones (I used the top part of a snapper fillet, near the head)

1 onion, cut in half

1 carrot, cut in half

a few peppercorns

3 fish stock cubes (or 1/2 l fish stock)

1l water

For the 'suquet'

4 monkfish fillets, cut into small pieces

12 big green prawns

12 scallops, optional

25 pippies (clams), optional

4 medium potatoes, cut into half-moons

1 onion, chopped finely

400g tin diced tomatoes

1 bird's eye chilli

big splash of white or sparkling wine

1.5l fish stock

oil

brandy

flour

slices of bread, to serve

Picada

1 small slice of fried bread

2 garlic cloves, fried

a few parsley leaves, fried

8 roasted hazelnuts

meat of 2 'nyores' pepper (I used jarred nyora meat)

a pinch of saffron threads

a small square of dark chocolate for cooking

salt and pepper

Method

Start by making the stock. 

Put the fish in a large saucepan, add the water and fish stock cubes and bring to the boil. Skim any froth and add the vegetables. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Strain and reserve.

Add some oil to a big terracotta or cast iron casserole and sear the prawns (make sure you don't cook them, they will finish cooking later in the stew). Add a big splash of brandy and remove from pan. Reserve in a big bowl with a cover.

 

In the same pan, add a bit more oil and sear the scallops for about 30 seconds each side. Remove to the bowl with the prawns.

If there is any water left, add it to the stock. Add a bit more oil and fry the bread, cut into thin slices. Remove to a plate.

Put some flour and salt in a large plastic bag and mix well. Add the fish fillets and mix well.

Add some more oil to the pan and cook for about a minute, turning the fillets over at half-time. Reserve in the bowl with the rest of the seafood.

Add some more oil to the pan, and fry the onions slowly. When almost transparent add the wine and deglaze.

Once the wine has almost evaporated, add the tomatoes and the chilli. Cook over medium heat until jam consistency. 

Peel and cut the potatoes and cover in water.

Add the potatoes to the pan and mix well with the tomato sauce.

Add the reserved stock to the pan and bring to the boil.

Cook the potatoes until almost tender. (You can prepare the dish up to this point and leave the potatoes in the pan with the heat off. They were cooked when I continued with the rest of the recipe later on!)

To make the picada, fry the garlic and parsley with a bit of oil in a small frypan.  Put a bit of salt in a mortar and pestle and mash the hazelnuts, add the garlic, parsley and chocolate and mash again. Add a small slice of the reserved bread and mash again. Add the rest of the ingredients with a bit of olive oil and fish stock and mix well. Add to the casserole.

Carefully add the cooked fish fillets, followed by the pippies, the scallops and the prawns. Bring back to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the reserved slices of bread (I think it's better to serve them apart!!) and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6