Ingredients

Serves 4-6

For the Prawn Sauce

• 200g king prawn heads removed and peeled meat kept for the Cataplana
• 100ml Olive oil
• 1 Onion, peeled & sliced
• 1 Carrot, peeled & diced
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper corns
• 1 Ripe tomato
• 50ml Brandy
• 50 ml white wine
• 1L water
• 6 basil leaves, torn
• Sea salt

For the Seafood Cataplana

• 20ml Olive Oil
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 green pepper, core and seed removed & sliced
• 1 red pepper, core and seed removed & sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 100g sliced chorizo
• 1 large pinch of saffron
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 30ml white wine
• 1 x 400g can plum tomatoes
• Salt
• 150ml prawn sauce (pre-pared)
• 200g Tiger Prawns (peeled) meat
• 200g Monkfish chunks
• 200g Hake chunks, skin on
• 15 mussels, scrubbed and beard removed
• 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped basil leaves

Method

For the Prawn Sauce

1. Cut the prawn heads and shells into little pieces and fry them in olive oil.
2. Next, add the onion, garlic and carrot, all chopped, followed by the bay leaf, black peppercorns and let it braise well.
3. Add the chopped tomato, brandy, white wine, water and basil
4. Simmer for 15 minutes
5. Season with a pinch of salt
6. Then strain through a sieve and set the sauce aside until required

For the Seafood Cataplana

1. Pour olive oil on the bottom of a skillet pan
2. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and stir
3. Add in the chorizo, saffron, paprika and turmeric
4. Add in the white wine and chopped tomatoes and mix well
5. Add in the prepare prawn sauce and stir to combine everything together
6. Gently add the fish selection to the sauce and cover with a lid
7. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until the fish is cooked through
8. Finish with chopped parsley and chopped basil