Even without the harissa this seafood dish of mussels, squid and prawns would be a blissful fish stew for a blustery day. Adding it only enhances the flavour.
Ingredients
- 300g whole, raw cold-water prawns, shell-on
- 1kg fresh live mussels
- 200g fresh squid, cleaned
- 3 tbsp mild olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 leek, trimmed, washed and finely diced
- 250ml dry white wine
- 1 quantity harissa (see recipe, p44 of March 2007 issue)
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- Small pinch of saffron
- Small bunch of fresh coriander or
- flatleaf parsley
Method
- 1. Peel the prawns, then pop the shells and heads in a pot with 500ml water. Bring to a simmer (don’t boil) and let it fizz gently for about 45 minutes. Chill the peeled prawns.
- 2. Meanwhile, scrape the barnacles and pull any beards from the mussels. Run them under a cold tap for a minute or so, then discard any open mussels that don’t close when tapped on the worktop, along with any that are cracked. Chill.
- 3. Slice the squid bodies into rings and chop the tentacles if you prefer. Chill.
- 4. Heat the oil in a large pot (preferably one with a lid) over a medium-low heat. Add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften. Stir in the wine, harissa, purée and saffron and let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, until reduced by about two-thirds.
- 5. Once the liquid has reduced, add the prawns, mussels and squid. Strain the prawn shell stock and add about 300ml
- to the pot. Cover and allow everything to steam for about 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked and all the mussels are open. Discard any that don’t open after cooking.
- 6. Check the seasoning (I rarely, if ever, add salt to mussels). Divide between bowls (don’t leave any of that stock and mussel liquor behind – it’s fantastic) and garnish with coriander or parsley sprigs to serve.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 400kcals, 21.3g fat (3g saturated), 34.3g protein, 9.1g carbs, 4.2g sugar, 2.6g salt
Wine Recommendation
Pick a simple, fresh dry white, such as Sauvignon Blanc or a good Soave.