Catalan Spicy Shrimp Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the Parmesan, olive oil, chile paste, lemon zest, oregano and salt. Add the shrimp and toss gently to coat.
• Spread the shrimp evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the shrimp are pink and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze the lemon half over the shrimp while still hot. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and sambal and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to moderately low and swirl in the butter until melted and incorporated. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve with crusty bread.

Steps:

• Combine the drained chickpeas with enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and skim off any foam. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt to taste (about a tablespoon), and simmer for another hour, until tender. Drain over a bowl and retain 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
• While the beans are cooking, heat a large, heavy casserole over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the sausages. Brown the sausages on all sides and remove from the heat. Slice and set aside.
• Add the olive oil to the pan, turn the heat down to medium, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, and add the diced pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion and pepper are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for a minute or two, until fragrant, and stir in the tomatoes, sliced sausage, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add the chickpeas, dried cayenne or chili flakes, and the 2 cups of their liquid that you set aside. Bring back to a simmer, stir together, turn the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans are very tender and the broth fragrant. Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Steps:

• Make the broth: Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add small shrimp, garlic, hot pepper, fennel, coriander, bay leaf and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper, stir to coat and cook 2 minutes more.
• Stir in tomato paste and cook 5 minutes, until mixture begins to look dry. Add fish bones, clams, 1 pound mussels and 8 cups water; cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
• Strain through a sturdy mesh sieve into another pot, pushing on solids with a wooden spoon. Discard solids and keep strained broth hot. Taste for salt. Broth should be well seasoned. (Can be made ahead, though eat it within 24 hours, or you can freeze it.)
• Make the fideuà: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put fideus noodles in a large roasting pan or baking sheet. (If using Italian pasta, break it into 2-inch lengths first.) Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil over noodles and toss with hands to coat. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning with tongs if necessary, until noodles are golden brown. (May be done in advance.)
• Place a cazuela or wide heavy pot on the stove. Add toasted noodles, pressing down a bit. Ladle 3 cups hot broth over noodles and bring to a boil. Push down on the noodles with a wooden spoon as they soften into the broth. Add saffron-infused water and cook for a minute, then stir to mix. Add enough hot broth to cover pasta by 1 inch. Lower heat and cook at a simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more broth (and adjust heat) if mixture dries out.
• Scatter remaining 1 pound mussels over the top, then push them down until barely submerged. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until shells open. Turn off heat. The noodles should be cooked but firm, and the mixture a little soupy.
• If using the large shell-on shrimp, season them and sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes per side.
• Ladle into individual soup plates. Mix the parsley with the orange zest. Garnish fideus with shrimp, if using, the parsley mixture and a spoonful of allioli.

Steps:

• Boil or steam lobsters for 10 minutes, then rinse with cool water. Crack shells, remove meat and cut into large chunks. Put shells in a large pot, cover with 10 cups water and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain, reserve broth and discard shells.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast until fairly dark, about 12 to 15 minutes. Rub skins from hazelnuts; discard skins.
• Place a large, wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add olive oil to depth of 1/4 inch. When oil is hot, fry bread slices slowly on both sides until crisp and golden, 5 to 6 minutes, adjusting heat if bread is browning too quickly. Remove bread, drain on paper towel and cut into rough 1/2-inch cubes; set aside. Pour off all but about 4 tablespoons oil (Save excess oil for another purpose.) Add onion to pot, season with salt and pepper and cook until onion is softened and lightly colored, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put dried ñora or ancho chiles in a small pot of water and simmer for about 15 minutes, until softened, then drain, discarding water.
• Put almonds, hazelnuts, fried bread, garlic, dried chiles, Fresno chiles, piquillo peppers and pimentón in a large mortar and pound to a rough paste. (You may use a food processor instead.)
• Add chile mixture to softened onions and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato purée and wine and simmer until mixture has dried out a bit. Add 8 cups lobster broth and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning. If too thick, add a little more broth. (May be prepared up to this point several hours ahead.)
• To serve, bring to a brisk simmer and add clams. When clams begin to open, add lobster meat and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in parsley and ladle the stew into 4 to 6 large soup bowls.