Best 2 Catalan Fideua Recipes

## Catalan Fideuà: A Journey into the Heart of Spanish Cuisine ##

In the realm of Spanish cuisine, few dishes capture the essence of culinary artistry quite like Catalan fideuà. This delectable seafood paella, originating from the coastal regions of Catalonia, is a symphony of flavors, textures, and colors that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more. Unlike its Valencian counterpart, fideuà distinguishes itself with the use of thin, toasted noodles called fideo, which lend a unique and delightful bite to the dish. Join us on a culinary adventure as we explore the intricacies of Catalan fideuà, uncovering its history, unraveling its preparation techniques, and presenting a diverse collection of recipes that showcase the versatility and boundless creativity of this beloved Spanish delicacy.

### A Trio of Tempting Fideuà Recipes: ###

1. **Classic Catalan Fideuà:** Embark on a culinary journey to the heart of Catalonia with this traditional fideuà recipe. Every bite promises an explosion of flavors, as succulent seafood, tender noodles, and a vibrant broth come together in perfect harmony.

2. **Seafood Medley Fideuà:** Dive into a delightful fusion of flavors with this seafood medley fideuà. An array of ocean's treasures, including shrimp, mussels, and calamari, mingle harmoniously with fideo noodles, creating a symphony of textures and tastes that will captivate your senses.

3. **Vegetarian Fideuà:** Experience the vibrant flavors of fideuà in a meatless incarnation. This vegetarian delight features a colorful array of vegetables, such as bell peppers, zucchini, and green beans, sautéed to perfection and combined with fideo noodles in a flavorful broth.

Let's cook with our recipes!

CATALAN FIDEUà

Catalan Fideuà image

In Catalunya, the northeastern part of Spain, there is a traditional dish called fideuà, made with short lengths of dry pasta called fideus. Instead of boiling the noodles Italian-style, the Catalan way is to cook them with only a small amount of liquid in a wide earthenware cazuela or paella pan. Here, the noodles are first browned in olive oil, then simmered in a rich fish and shellfish broth. It's a sort of cross between risotto and paella, and it's a dish for all lovers of Mediterranean fish soups in the bouillabaisse family. Broth is added at intervals as it is absorbed, but not much stirring is involved. A dab of garlicky allioli, the Spanish version of aïoli, is added to each soup plate before serving.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories dinner, main course

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound small shrimp, shell on
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 small dried hot red peppers, or use 1 pinch cayenne
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
1 large bay leaf
A few thyme sprigs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds meaty bones from cod, snapper or halibut, rinsed (or use boneless fish chunks)
12 clams
1 pound mussels, cleaned
1 pound fideus noodles (dry), or use Italian fedelini or spaghettini
Extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of saffron crumbled into 1/4 cup water
1 pound mussels, cleaned, for garnish
1/2 pound large shrimp, shell on, for garnish (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon orange zest
Allioli, for garnish (see recipe)

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.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 371, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 19 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 41 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 921 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams

CATALAN FIDEUA

CATALAN FIDEUA image

Categories Shellfish

Yield 4-6

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

FOR THE BROTH
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound small shrimp, shell on
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 small dried hot red peppers, or use 1 pinch cayenne
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
1 large bay leaf
A few thyme sprigs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds meaty bones from cod, snapper or halibut, rinsed (or use boneless fish chunks)
12 clams
1 pound mussels, cleaned
FOR THE FIDEUÀ
1 pound fideus noodles (dry), or use Italian fedelini or spaghettini
Extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of saffron crumbled into 1/4 cup water
1 pound mussels, cleaned, for garnish
1/2 pound large shrimp, shell on, for garnish (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon orange zest
Allioli, for garnish (see recipe)

Steps:

1.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. 2. 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. 3. 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.) 4. 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.) 5. 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. 6. 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. 7. If using the large shell-on shrimp, season them and sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes per side.

Tips:

Use a wide, shallow pan or paella dish to cook the fideuà. This will allow the noodles to cook evenly and prevent them from sticking together.
Toast the noodles in a little olive oil before adding the stock. This will help to develop their flavor and prevent them from becoming mushy.
Use a flavorful stock for the fideuà. A seafood stock is a good choice, but you can also use a chicken or vegetable stock.
Add a variety of seafood to the fideuà. Shrimp, mussels, clams, and calamari are all good options.
Cook the fideuà until the noodles are tender and the seafood is cooked through.
Serve the fideuà immediately, garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.
If you want to make a vegetarian fideuà, you can substitute vegetables for the seafood.

Conclusion:

Fideuà is a delicious and easy-to-make Spanish dish that is perfect for a summer meal. It is made with toasted noodles, seafood, and a flavorful stock. Fideuà is a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking. You can add different types of seafood, vegetables, or spices to create a unique and delicious meal.