Zarzuela de poisson catalane
Un ragoût catalan de poisson et de fruits de mer dans une sauce au safran et aux amandes.
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Prepare the seafood
Pat the fish and shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt. Scrub the mussels under cold water and pull off any dark 'beards'; discard any mussel that is open and does not close when you tap it. Pat the squid rings dry too, since wet seafood won't brown well.
- 700 g monkfish or hake
- 12 shrimp
- 500 g mussels
- 300 g squid
- 1 pinch salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : all seafood is clean, dry, and ready to cook
Make the picada
Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Fry the almonds, bread slice and 2 of the garlic cloves until deep golden, about 2 minutes, watching closely so the almonds don't burn. Transfer to a mortar or small blender with half the parsley and a splash of fish stock, and crush or blend into a thick, fragrant paste. This paste is the secret body of the sauce.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 30 g almonds
- 1 slice bread
- 2 garlic cloves
- 8 g parsley
✅ C'est prêt quand : the paste is thick, deep golden, and smells toasty
Sear the seafood
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Build the sofrito
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Add saffron and simmer
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Finish with the picada
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Season and serve
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Prepare the seafood
Pat the fish and shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt. Scrub the mussels under cold water and pull off any dark 'beards'; discard any mussel that is open and does not close when you tap it. Pat the squid rings dry too, since wet seafood won't brown well.
- 700 g monkfish or hake
- 12 shrimp
- 500 g mussels
- 300 g squid
- 1 pinch salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : all seafood is clean, dry, and ready to cook
Make the picada
Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Fry the almonds, bread slice and 2 of the garlic cloves until deep golden, about 2 minutes, watching closely so the almonds don't burn. Transfer to a mortar or small blender with half the parsley and a splash of fish stock, and crush or blend into a thick, fragrant paste. This paste is the secret body of the sauce.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 30 g almonds
- 1 slice bread
- 2 garlic cloves
- 8 g parsley
✅ C'est prêt quand : the paste is thick, deep golden, and smells toasty
Sear the seafood
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Build the sofrito
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Add saffron and simmer
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Finish with the picada
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Season and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Zarzuela de pescado takes its name from the zarzuela, a lively Spanish musical theatre that mixes singing, dancing and comedy. Catalan cooks are said to have borrowed the name for this seafood stew because, like the theatre, it brings together many different 'performers' — fish, mussels, squid, shrimp — all playing together in one rich sauce.
It grew out of the everyday fisherman's stews along the Catalan coast, dressed up with the Catalan kitchen's signature touch: the picada, a paste of almonds, fried bread and garlic that thickens the broth without needing flour or cream. Over time it became a dish for Sunday lunches and celebrations rather than a quick fisherman's meal.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It shows off the Catalan talent for turning humble seafood into something festive, using the picada to build a sauce that's rich and complex without being heavy.
💡 Fun Fact
Along the Costa Brava, some restaurants still serve zarzuela in the pot it was cooked in, bringing it straight to the table bubbling and fragrant with saffron.
Catalonia, Spain (Barcelona and the Costa Brava)
41.39°N, 2.17°E
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