Seafood fideuà

Ingredients

• 500 gfideuà noodles
• 700 mlseafood stock
• 1lobster
• 12peeled king prawns
• 20peeled prawns
• 20clams
• 12mussels
• 2spring onions
• 1green pepper
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml)tomato purée
• 50 mlwhite wine
• 1 glass (about 200 ml)extra-virgin olive oil
• to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Steam the shellfish

   Put the white wine in a saucepan over the heat. When it comes to the boil, add the clams and mussels, cover and cook until they open. Remove each as it opens and discard any that remain closed after a good while. Strain and reserve the cooking wine to add later.

2. 2

   Brown the seafood

   Pour a glass of olive oil into a paella pan and heat it. Add the chopped lobster with the flesh against the pan, and brown it on both sides. Remove and set aside, then brown the prawns and peeled king prawns in the same way; remove and reserve them too.

3. 3

   Cook the base

   Add a little more oil if needed and brown the garlic. Add the spring onions and green pepper and cook until softened. Once the onion is golden, stir in the fideuà noodles and toast them briefly to absorb the flavours. Add the hot seafood stock, stir in the tomato purée until dissolved, season with salt to taste, then add the reserved shellfish cooking wine and mix well.

4. 4

   Finish the fideuà

   Cook the noodles for the time stated on the packet. Three minutes before they are done, add the prawns, king prawns, mussels and clams. Arrange the lobster on top, then let the noodles finish cooking. Cover the paella pan and leave to rest for a couple of minutes.

5. 5

   Serve the dish

   Serve the seafood fideuà while hot.

What is seafood fideuà?

Fideuà is a Valencian dish made with short noodles cooked in a seasoned broth, often with seafood. It is commonly prepared in a wide paella pan, where the noodles cook in a relatively shallow layer.

Seafood mix: this version combines lobster, prawns, clams and mussels for a varied mix of flavours and textures. Browning the seafood first and finishing it with the noodles helps bring the components together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 533 calories, 43g protein, 57g carbs, 14g fat.

The noodles provide most of the carbohydrates, while the olive oil is the main source of fat. Seafood supplies much of the protein. Balance a serving with salad or vegetables alongside, especially if you want more freshness and volume on the plate.

The seafood and its cooking liquid

Shellfish: cook the clams and mussels in the white wine until they open, removing them as they do. Discard any that stay closed after cooking, then strain and keep the wine to season the noodles.

Prawns and lobster: brown these separately before cooking the noodle base. Set them aside so they can be added back near the end without spending the whole cooking time in the pan.

Building the flavour base

Aromatics: soften the garlic, spring onions and green pepper after browning the seafood. Let the onions become golden before adding the noodles.

Toasted noodles: stir the fideuà through the softened vegetables so it picks up their flavour. Adding hot stock and dissolving the tomato purée into it gives the noodles a savoury, tomato-tinted cooking liquid.

Cooking the noodles evenly

Stock: use it hot when you add it to the pan, and spread the noodles through the liquid. Follow the packet timing, as noodle thickness and cooking times can vary.

Pan: a wide paella pan gives the noodles room to cook in an even layer. Keep an eye on the liquid as the noodles cook, and avoid stirring more than needed once everything is combined.

When to add the seafood

Final minutes: add the prawns, king prawns, clams and mussels three minutes before the noodles finish cooking. This gives them time to heat through without prolonging their cooking.

Lobster: place it on top last, as directed, for an attractive finish. Once the noodles are cooked, cover the pan and rest the fideuà for a couple of minutes before serving.

Serving and timing

Doneness: start checking the noodles at the packet’s stated cooking time; they should be cooked through while still holding their shape. The method does not give a total cooking time, so use the packet instructions as your guide.

To serve: bring the pan to the table while the seafood is still warm. A simple green salad or steamed vegetables make a fresh accompaniment to the rich, savoury noodles.

Recipe notes & tips

• Have the seafood cleaned and the vegetables chopped before you start cooking.
• Remove shellfish as soon as it opens and discard any that remain closed after cooking.
• Heat the seafood stock before adding it to the noodles.
• Check the packet for the fideuà cooking time and begin testing near the end of that window.
• Add a little extra oil only if the pan needs it when browning the seafood or vegetables.
• Rest the covered pan for a couple of minutes before serving.

Variations

• Add squid: brown pieces of squid with the other seafood, then return them to the pan near the end.
• Use fish: add firm chunks of fish during the final few minutes so they cook through without breaking up.
• Adjust the shellfish: use more clams or mussels in place of some of the prawns.
• Add saffron: steep a few threads in the hot stock for a fragrant variation.
• Finish with lemon: serve lemon wedges alongside for a bright squeeze at the table.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Keeping closed shellfish: discard clams or mussels that remain closed after cooking.
• Skipping the strained wine: reserve it after steaming the shellfish to carry its flavour into the noodles.
• Adding cold stock: heat the seafood stock first so the noodles can cook steadily.
• Overcooking the seafood: return the prawns and shellfish only three minutes before the noodles are due to finish.
• Ignoring packet timing: check the noodle instructions, as cooking times differ between products.
• Serving straight away: leave the covered pan to rest for a couple of minutes before serving.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and eat within 1–2 days. Reheat thoroughly in a pan with a small splash of water or stock; seafood can become firm if reheated for too long.

Frequently asked questions