Summary: Zarzuela is the most spectacular seafood stew in Spanish cuisine: a combination of fish and seafood in a concentrated broth with sofrito and picada. Here you have the traditional step-by-step recipe, tips for a perfect result, and what fish and seafood to choose.
Content
What is Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a seafood stew of Catalan origin that combines various fish and seafood in a short broth with sofrito, wine, brandy, and a picada (a mixture of nuts, garlic, and parsley that thickens and enriches the sauce). It is a celebratory dish: generous, colorful, and with layers of flavor.
The name comes from the opera "zarzuela" because, like in the opera, there are many protagonists on stage. Each fish and seafood contributes its flavor to the whole.
Ingredients for 6 people
Fish and seafood
- 300 g monkfish in medallions
- 300 g desalted cod in pieces (premium cod)
- 300 g peeled shrimp or prawns (reserve the heads)
- 500 g clean mussels
- 300 g purged clams
- 200 g squid in rings
For the sofrito
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 ripe tomatoes, grated
- 1 red bell pepper, in strips
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 shot of brandy
- 1 glass of white wine
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sweet paprika
For the picada
- 20 toasted almonds
- 2 cloves of garlic
- A bunch of parsley
- 2 Maria biscuits (or fried bread)
- A pinch of saffron (or food coloring)
Step-by-step recipe
- Prepare the fish stock: cook the shrimp heads + fish bones, if you have any + water (1 liter) for 20 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth.
- Open the mussels: in a pot with an inch of water, cover and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes until they open. Strain the liquid and reserve it (mix it with the fish stock). Reserve the mussels.
- Sear the fish: in a large pot (or paella pan), lightly brown the monkfish and cod pieces in hot oil. 2 minutes on each side. Do not cook them completely. Remove and set aside.
- Sear the squid: in the same oil, sauté the squid rings for 2 minutes. Remove.
- Make the sofrito: in the same pot, lower the heat. Sauté the onion for 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic, red bell pepper and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the grated tomato and cook for 15 minutes until it darkens.
- Flambé: raise the heat, pour in the brandy and tilt the pot to flambé (or light with a long lighter). Let the alcohol burn off.
- Add liquids: pour in the white wine, reduce for 2 minutes. Add the fish stock + mussel liquid. Add paprika (off the heat so it doesn't burn), bay leaf, and a pinch of saffron.
- Add the fish: place the monkfish and cod pieces in the sauce. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the seafood: incorporate the shrimp, clams, and squid. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes until the clams open.
- The picada: meanwhile, crush the almonds + garlic + parsley + biscuits + saffron in a mortar until a paste is formed. Dissolve it in a little broth from the pot and pour it into the zarzuela.
- Finish: add the reserved mussels. Cook for 2 more minutes for the picada to thicken the sauce. Adjust salt. Serve directly from the pot.
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The picada: the secret of zarzuela
The Catalan picada is what differentiates a mediocre zarzuela from a spectacular one. It is a crushed mixture that is added at the end to:
- Thicken the sauce without needing flour.
- Provide flavor depth: almonds give body, garlic intensity, parsley freshness.
- Bind the flavors: integrates the entire dish into a harmonious whole.
The key: always add it at the end, never at the beginning. If you cook it too long, it loses its function.
Tips for a perfect zarzuela
- Don't skimp on fish stock: a good fish stock made from shrimp heads and bones makes all the difference.
- Each ingredient in its own time: the most common mistake is to add everything at once. Monkfish takes longer than clams; respect the cooking times.
- Do not stir: move the pot back and forth, not with a spoon. If you stir, the fish will fall apart.
- Flambéed brandy: it's not just for decoration. Flambéing removes the bitterness of the alcohol and leaves only the aroma.
- Make it partially in advance: the sofrito and fish stock can be made the day before. The fish and seafood are added just before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Can zarzuela be made without seafood?
Technically yes, but it would be a fish stew, not a zarzuela. Seafood (especially shrimp heads) provides the broth and flavor that defines the dish. If you don't eat seafood, try the fish soup that works with only fish.
What fish can I use in zarzuela?
The best are those with firm flesh that don't fall apart: monkfish, cod, hake, sea bream, sea bass. Avoid fish with soft flesh (sardine, anchovy) that fall apart in the broth.
Can zarzuela be frozen?
The broth/sofrito yes. Cooked fish and seafood lose a lot of texture when frozen. The ideal is to freeze the base and add fresh fish when reheating.
What is the difference between zarzuela and caldereta?
Zarzuela has a Catalan picada and is made with flambéed brandy. Caldereta is simpler: fish and seafood in sofrito without picada, more typical of the Balearic Islands and Galicia.
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