45 minutes
A delightful Spanish seafood dish made with fideos pasta, various seafood, and served with a rich alioli.
tablespoons
Monkfish Fillet, cut into ¾-inch cubes
0 oz
to taste
Baby Squid, cleaned, bodies cut into rings
each
Jumbo Shrimp, peeled
each
each
Garlic Clove, crushed to a paste or finely chopped
each
Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
0 oz
Pimentón Dulce (sweet Paprika)
teaspoons
Saffron Threads
pinches
cups
Fideos (size 1 Or 2), Or Vermicelli Nests Or Thin Spaghettini, broken into 1¼- to 1½-inch pieces
0 lb
Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
tablespoons
each
Alioli, for serving
cups
1. Cook the monkfish
Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a 16- to 18-inch paella pan over medium-high heat. Add the monkfish cubes, sprinkle them with salt, and cook for about 3-4 minutes until they are just starting to turn golden.
2. Add the squid
Add the squid rings and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add shrimp and scallops
Add the shrimp and scallops, cooking them for an additional 1-2 minutes until they start to turn pink and opaque. Transfer all the seafood to a platter, reserving the cooking liquid in a small bowl.
4. Prepare the base
In the same pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add the crushed garlic. Cook gently until the aroma of the garlic rises, being careful not to let it burn.
5. Cook the tomato mixture
Add the chopped tomatoes, pimentón dulce, saffron threads, and a pinch of salt. Cook this mixture for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to concentrate and the oil to sizzle through the tomatoes.
6. Bring stock to a boil
About 15 minutes before you plan to serve, bring the fish or chicken stock to a boil, adding the reserved seafood cooking liquid.
7. Add the pasta
Add the broken fideos or pasta to the tomato mixture in the pan, stirring well to coat the noodles with the flavorful sauce. Pour in the boiling stock and arrange the monkfish, shrimp, scallops, and squid evenly throughout the pan.
8. Cook until al dente
Cook until the pasta is al dente, which should take about 2-10 minutes. If the pasta absorbs too much liquid and starts to dry, add a bit more stock or boiling water to keep it moist but not soupy.
9. Finish and serve
Once the pasta is cooked, sprinkle the chopped parsley over the dish and serve with lemon wedges and a generous dollop of alioli on the side.
Focus on creating a rich seafood stock from scratch using fish bones, shrimp shells, and aromatic vegetables. This deeply enhances the maritime essence of the dish.
Adding a mix of traditional seafood like shrimp, clams, mussels, and squid rings to the core recipe.
Instead of the traditional mix of shrimp, squid, and mussels, you can try using scallops, clams, or chunks of firm white fish like halibut or monkfish. This will give a different texture and sweetness to the dish.
Incorporating squid ink into the broth and commonly including squid or cuttlefish as the protein.
Incorporate squid ink into the broth, giving the dish a striking black color and intense, briny flavor. Typically paired with cuttlefish or squid.
The success of a simple dish like Fideuá is highly dependent on the quality of its ingredients. Source the freshest seafood you can find, good quality pasta (noodles), and saffron for that authentic flavor.
A homemade fish stock will always be superior to store-bought versions. If you can, make your own stock using fish bones, onion, fennel, garlic, and bay leaves. This will give your Fideuá a rich and authentic seafood flavor.
Resist the urge to stir the Fideuá once the noodles are added. Let them sit in the flavorful broth and absorb it as they cook. This also helps to create the coveted ‘socarrat’ . the crispy bottom layer.
Pair your Fideuá with a crisp white wine, such as a Verdejo or Albariño, which complements the seafood flavors beautifully. Serve the dish promptly while it's still hot to enjoy the contrast of textures from the soft noodles to the crunchy socarrat.
Don't rush the toasting of the noodles. This step is crucial as it adds a depth of flavor and texture to the dish. You're looking for a golden brown color, which imparts a nutty flavor to the fideuá.
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