“Zarzuela” originally means “light opera” and a light shellfish stew of that name is made across Spain, with regional variations. “Zarzuela” is also one of the handful of names that made it on to menus at Spanish restaurants in America 40 years ago. The classic American zarzuela is different from the Spanish ones. It uses American shellfish, of course. More important, it emphasizes the clichés of Spanish cooking: lots of bell peppers are used, and the Spanish proclivity for sausage and shellfish together is well-represented. The result is an easy-to-make, absolutely delicious party-stopper.
serves 4
½ cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil (preferably Spanish) plus additional for drizzling
3 ounces chorizo (cured Spanish sausage) sliced 1/8″ thick, cut into small bite-sized pieces
¾ pound medium shrimp, unpeeled
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ red bell pepper, diced ¼”
½ green bell pepper, diced ¼”
3 tablespoons brandy (preferably Spanish)
1 cup dry white wine
1 can (28 ounces) good quality canned tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
30 medium-sized high-quality green olives, pit removed, coarsely chopped
½ pound medium squid, cleaned, bodies cut into ⅜” rings, tentacles cut in half lengthwise (if large)
½ pound bay scallops
24 small clams, well scrubbed (preferably Manilla clams or New Zealand cockles-but littlenecks will do)
40 mussels, beards removed and well scrubbed
6 sprigs parsley, chopped
12 slices baguette, ½” thick, lightly toasted, rubbed with garlic and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil
1. In a large straight-sided pan with a tight fitting lid, heat the oil over medium flame. Add the chorizo and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside. Turn the heat to high; when the oil is almost smoking, add the shrimp and sear them for 30 seconds on each side. Immediately remove from the pan and set aside. They should be almost, but not quite, cooked through. Turn off the heat and let the pan cool for at least 2 minutes.
2. In the same pan over medium-low heat, add the onion, garlic and both peppers. Cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the mixture to color. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the brandy. Carefully ignite the pan with a match and allow the flame to die. Add the white wine, tomatoes, paprika, cayenne, bay leaf and 1 cup water. Cook at a gentle simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
3. Raise the heat to high and add the clams. Cover the pan and cook for 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Add the mussels and cover. Cook until the shellfish have opened, about three minutes more. Uncover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the squid tentacles and cook for 30 seconds. Add the green olives, squid rings, scallops, reserved chorizo and reserved shrimp. Cook for 1 minute more, until the squid and scallops are just cooked through and the other ingredients are reheated.
4. Arrange the seafood in warmed serving bowls. Spoon the tomato mixture and any pan juices over each. Drizzle with additional olive oil and garnish with parsley. Serve with garlic toasts.
photo credit: Lynford Morton, Phuket@photographer.net, and Victor Bayon
