Fideos in the Style of Gandía
Fideuà al Estilo de Gandía
Region: Spain, Valencia
Category: Pasta with Fish
Season: Any
Difficulty: Labor Intensive

This dish is essentially the pasta version of Arrós a Banda, the simple rice dish cooked in a paella pan with flavorful broth. Here it is cooked in a paella pan with fideos no. 168, which is thick two-inch-long spaghetti formed into nests. It is cooked with small additions of broth and water until done. The fish used is remove from the paella and served as a second course. Llorenç Millo, the Catalan culinary historian, tells us that fideuà began as a dish prepared by fishermen. The home of this dish is Gandía, a little town on the coast up the road from Denia, although my most memorable fideuà was at the Voramar restaurant on the playa (the strand) of Peñíscola. Many people like to serve it with allioli.

[Photo: Victor Rodriguez]

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Preparation Time: 3 hours

12 littleneck clams, scrubbed, and soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover with 1 tablespoon baking soda, and drained

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

8 large garlic cloves, 4 finely chopped, 2 whole, 2 crushed

4 ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded and finely chopped

5 cups water

1 cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bouquet garni, tied in cheesecloth, consisting of 1 bay leaf, 6 sprigs each fresh thyme and parsley, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds or 1 fennel stalk with leaves

11/2 pounds fish for broth, such as 2 porgies (scup), butterfish, or Pacific kingfish, 5 fresh sardines, and 1 mackerel, cut-up, and 1 bluefish head (or 1/2 pound bluefish fillet)

1 pound fresh shrimp with heads (preferably) or 1/2 pound frozen large shrimp, defrosted), saving the heads and/or shells for the fish broth

Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled

1 teaspoon hot paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 small onion, very finely chopped

2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 1/4 pounds mixed fish steaks or fillets ( 3/4 pound monkfish, hake, cod, scrod, or pollack; 3/4 pound striped bass, Atlantic kingfish, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, dogfish, or shark; 3/4 pound red snapper, grouper, redfish, or wolffish)

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 dried red chiles

3/4 pound fideos no. 168 or spaghetti broken into 2-inch lengths

1. Put the clams in a small pot and turn the heat to medium-high. Remove the clams once they have all opened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the clams from the shells and set aside in the refrigerator. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside. Discard any shells that remain tightly shut.

2. In a stockpot or large casserole, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat, then cook, stirring often so the garlic doesn't burn, the large onion, half of the chopped garlic cloves, and 3 of the chopped tomatoes until saucy, 10 to 12 minutes. Pour in the water, wine, and reserved clam broth and season with salt and pepper. Add the bouquet garni, cut-up fish for broth, and shrimp shells (keep the shrimp and all other fish refrigerated until needed). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer (you should have about 6 cups).

3. In a mortar, pound together the whole garlic cloves, saffron, paprika, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until completely mashed. Transfer to a 2-cup measuring glass and blend with 1 cup fish broth.

4. In a casserole, heat 1/4 cup of the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook, stirring, the small onion, the remaining chopped garlic cloves and tomato, and the parsley until the onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add the fish fillets and cook until all sides are well coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved fish broth, bring to a boil, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the casserole occasionally. Add the shrimp and cook another 2 minutes at a boil, shaking the casserole. Add the reserved clams just long enough to heat them, about 30 seconds. Remove the fish, shrimp, and clams with a slotted ladle, set aside, and keep warm covered with a sheet of aluminum foil to be served as a second course. Strain the fish broth, reserving 3 cups and storing the rest for another use.

5. In a large paella pan, heat the last remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook, stirring, the crushed garlic cloves and chiles until the garlic begins to turn light brown. Remove and discard the garlic and chilies. Add the pasta, stirring well so the pasta is coated with oil, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the reserved fish broth and the garlic/saffron broth, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered. Do not stir the pasta, although you can shake the pan while there is plenty of liquid. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the pasta rest until tender, about 5 minutes. Serve the pasta as a first course and the fish as a second course.

Variation:   

Posted: 08/31/2012

Needed Recipes:

Allioli or Aioli

Related Recipes:

Arroz a Banda

Referenced Recipes:

Arroz a Banda