Recipe | Cast Iron Recipes | Casserole Recipes | Cataplana Portuguese Fish Stew

Ingredients:

Pancetta Cubetti or Smoked Bacon (cut into small pieces)	100g
Chorizo Sausage	100g
Firm White Fish (cut into large chunks)	400g
Uncooked Mussels In Shells	500g
Prepared Raw Baby Squid (cut into bite sized)	175g
Waxy Potatoes	450g
Large Green Pepper (deseeded and chopped)	1 piece

Seasonings:

Salt	1/2 tsp
Olive Oil	2 tbsp
Dry White Wine	250ml
Chopped Tomatoes In Juice	2x400g cans
Large Mild Spanish Onion (chopped)	1 piece
Garlic (chopped)	3 cloves
Bay Leaf	1 piece
Fresh Parsley (chopped)	2 tbsp
Dried Chili Flakes	For Taste

Cooking Method:

Heat oil in the Le Creuset 24cm Round French Oven over a low to medium heat and add pancetta and chorizo sausage. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the pancetta begins to brown and the chorizo has released its oil. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl for later use.
Add onions and garlic to the oil in the pot and cook for a few minutes until softened.
Add tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, chili flakes and salt. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook with the lid off for 15 minutes.
Peel and dice the potatoes to 1 cm (½ inch) cubes and add to the tomato sauce along with the chopped peppers, cooked pancetta and chorizo.Stir well, place the lid on the pot and continue to cook for 15 minutes .After this time the potato should be tender but not soft.
Stir the chunks of fish, mussels in their shells and lastly the squid into the slow simmering sauce and replace the lid. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time. Allow to stand with the lid on for 5 minutes after turning off the heat.
Gently stir the contents of the pot being careful not to break up the fish and discard any unopened mussels. Sprinkle over the parsley and serve traditionally straight from the pot with some crusty bread.