Cataplana: Portuguese Cuisine on the Table ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Cataplana: Portuguese Cuisine on the Table ..

A cataplana is a cookware vessel, and relative of The North African Tagine, and it is made out of copper. It is inextriably connected to the presence of North Africans in the Algarve región of Portugal many centuries ago ..

Here is a lovely récipe that we had at a Restaurant called Ocean ..

2 onions sliced in half
3 garlic cloves minced
2 Green horn peppers or bell sliced in julienne strips
500 grams of red vine ripe tomatoes
250 Ml. Portuguese White wine of choice
300 grams of Mediterranean Monkfish ( called "Rape" in Spanish )
100 Ml. Evoo ( Portuguese or Spanish )
300 grams of extra large Prawns of choice
400 grams of fresh clams of choice
50 grams of Portuguese Chouriço Sausage or Spanish Sausage
50 grams of Iberian Ham of choice
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

1) Heat the Evoo in the cataplana or a " paellera " ( paella pan ) or copper flat skillet ..
2) Add the Green pepper and the tomatoes ..
3) When reduced to a thick sauce, add the onion and the garlic and sauté for a few minutes until tender ..
4) Now add the monkfish, Evoo, salt and pepper .. And now add the sausage and the ham ..
5) When the monkfish begins to become tender ( lobster texture ), then place the prawns on top of the sauce and the clams.
6) Cover the pan and let cook 4 to 5 minutes .. Do NOT overcook the shellfish .. Now, drain the oil from the Sausage ..
7) Add a shot glass of Pernod and a sprinkle of fresh parsley !

Dip some country bread into the sauce ! And sip a glass of White wine and enjoy !

*** NOTE: I would suggest, sauté-ing the meats separately and then draining their oils and add to the Cataplana or Paellera .. This way no porc fat in your dish.

[Renee Profile]

Thank you for another lovely recipe Member 461. I can easily buy monkfish but not the clams. Shall I just leave them out or is there a substitute? I would have to use Spanish sausage. Would this be chorizo?

[Alexandria Profile]

Dear Renée,


Firstly, thank you for all your compliments and feedback ..

1) Spanish Chorizo is a wonderful sustitute .. I plan to do same ..

2) Fresh Mussels are highly suggested and a good substitute ..

If you cannot get clams or mussels, I would use fresh crab or Norway Bay Lobsters ( also known as Scampi ) and / or additional prawns ..

I bought 2 Cataplana Copper Pans and had the El Corte Ingles, Lisbon ship it to my office .. It shall arrive next week and my staff shall sign for them ..

One is for my mom ! And the other for us ..

It was quite lovely ! And very versatile ..

Have a lovely evening ..

[Renee Profile]

Member 461, thank you very much for your help, once again!

What a lovely idea to buy the 2 Cataplana Copper Pans, which you can look forward to using when you are at home.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Looking forward to clams in Catalans when I go to Portugal in October is

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

Have a lovely trip to Portugal in October ..


Thank you for your feedback ..

Have a lovely summer too ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Renée,


Thank you once again ..

I am sure it shall delight my mom and dad ..

It is something I know they do not have !!

Good luck with the recipe .. It is not a difficult dish to prepare ..

It was not the 1st time, I had gone to the this venue and this time, I had asked the Chef, if I could watch him prepare it !

Have a lovely evening .. It is very late and I must get up very early Monday morning ..