Cataplana de Marisco

About This Recipe

The cataplana is a copper, clamshell-shaped cooking vessel from the Algarve, southern Portugal's sun-drenched coast, and it gives its name to the magnificent seafood feasts cooked inside it. Cataplana de Marisco (seafood cataplana) is the quintessential Algarvian dish: clams, mussels, king prawns and sometimes lobster steamed in their own juices with white wine, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chorizo and fresh herbs. The vessel is sealed shut and set over heat — the steam circulates inside, cooking everything perfectly while concentrating all the flavours into an intensely aromatic broth. Brought to the table still sealed and opened dramatically in front of guests, it is one of Portugal's most theatrical and joyful dining experiences.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gclams(rinsed and purged in salted water)
• 400 glarge raw prawns(shell-on)
• 300 gmussels(scrubbed and debearded)
• 150 gPortuguese chouriço or Spanish chorizo(sliced)
• 2 mediumonions(thinly sliced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 3 mediumtomatoes(roughly chopped)
• 1red pepper(thinly sliced)
• 200 mldry white wine
• 80 mlextra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoonsweet paprika
• small bunchfresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Layer the cataplana

   Heat the olive oil in the bottom half of an open cataplana (or a wide heavy casserole with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat. Fry the sliced onions and red pepper for 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and chouriço and fry for 2 more minutes.

2. 2

   Add tomatoes and paprika

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes and sweet paprika. Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the sauce is fragrant. Season with salt and a little pepper.

3. 3

   Add the seafood

   Layer the clams and mussels over the sauce, then place the prawns on top. Pour the white wine over everything and scatter with half the fresh herbs.

4. 4

   Seal and steam

   Close and latch the cataplana lid firmly (or cover the casserole tightly). Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook sealed for 12–15 minutes — do not open it during cooking, as the steam inside is doing the work.

5. 5

   Check and finish

   Open the cataplana away from you (steam will rush out). All the clams and mussels should be wide open — discard any that remain closed. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Scatter over the remaining fresh herbs.

6. 6

   Serve at the table

   Bring the cataplana to the table and open it dramatically in front of your guests for the full theatrical effect. Serve directly from the vessel with thick crusty bread to mop up the extraordinary broth.

Variations

• •

  Add a small lobster or crab, halved, for a more luxurious version.

• •

  Stir a tablespoon of tomato paste into the base for a richer, deeper-coloured sauce.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftover broth can be strained and used as a base for seafood soup the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions