A bonus recipe from my book Rustica
This spicy, Spanish-style stew is deliciously warming and comforting. Seasoned with Spanish pimento, the rich tomato sauce envelopes the juicy king prawns/jumbo shrimp and chickpeas. In winter store-cupboard staples like pulses/legumes are used alongside fresh seafood and this surf ‘n’ turf dish would be typical of dishes cooked on the Southern coast. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for dunking.
Ingredients:
a splash of olive oil, for shallow frying
½ large white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 fresh red chilli/chile, deseeded and finely chopped
a pinch of chilli/hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon pimenton dulche (sweet)
1 tablespoon tomato purée/paste
¼ tsp brown sugar
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
350 ml passata (Italian sieved/strained tomatoes)
12 raw large king prawns/jumbo shrimp, shelled but with heads on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
To Serve
60 ml/1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
A small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Crusty bread (optional)
Method:
Add a splash of olive oil to a large, deep frying pan and set over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry/sauté for a few minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic, fresh chilli/chile and chilli/hot red pepper flakes and cook for 1 further minute.
Stir in the cumin, pimento tomato purée/paste and sugar, quickly followed by the chickpeas. Stir in the chickpeas and then pour in the passata along with a splash of cold water and season with salt and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, over a low heat for 15 minutes.
Put the prawns/shrimp into the pan, pushing them down slightly into the liquid. Cook for about 4 minutes before turning them over to continue cooking for another 2 minutes or so, until pink and cooked through.
Spoon the stew into dishes. Whisk together the yogurt and lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of cold water and swirl a little over each serving. Add a sprinkle of chopped flat-leaf parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve with crusty bread, if you fancy.
CREDIT
Rustica (RRP £16.99) by Theo Michaels. Published by Ryland Peters & Small, photography by Mowie Kay.
Order your copy of Rustica here.
