Zarzuela by Chef Paul Hegeman

1. Sauté the onion, garlic, paprika, and chili pepper in oil in a medium-sized saucepan until translucent. Add a liberal splash of white wine.
2. Reduce the wine until it has almost disappeared and add the tomatoes, piercing them. Rinse the tomato tins with 2 cups (500 ml) of water and add to the pot.
3. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for approx 1 hour.
4. Add the stock and simmer for a further 1 hour. This is plenty of time to prepare the seafood.

Seafood:

1. Clean and de-beard the mussels, put in the fridge. (For tips on cleaning mussels see “Cleaning Mussels” in Techniques).
2. Cut the squid tubes along one edge so they are no longer a tube but lie flat .
3. Gently, with a very sharp knife, score criss-cross cuts on what was the inside of the tube (approx 1 cm/about ½ an inch scores). Cut each scored squid tube into about 6 pieces, then put them in the fridge.
4. I recommend you leave the heads on the prawns, but if you’d rather not, feel free to remove them at this stage.
5. Remove the shell from the body of the prawns; leave the tail and head attached.
6. Gently pull the prawns head forward and you will find the intestinal tract and cord running from the head to the body. Slide a skewer or the back of a small knife under this and gently pull up. By doing so the cord and tract will slide right out of the body.
7. If the tract/cord breaks with some of it still in the body you will need to make a small slice along the back of the prawn and remove it from there.
8. Rinse them and place in the fridge.
9. Cut the perch into the same number of pieces as you have guests, rinse and refrigerate.
10. Rinse the scallops and place in the fridge.

The rest:

1. Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown. Immediately remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
2. Place the parsley (leave a little aside for garnish) in a food processor with the nuts and process on high, add 2 tbsps olive oil and process on high until smooth.
3. Stir this into the tomato sauce together with the fish stock, bring it all to the boil and reduce to simmer.
4. Add some salt and pepper to some flour and lightly coat the squid pieces. Fry them on high in a large deep pan in a liberal amount of oil for a couple of minutes.
5. Repeat the same process for the perch.
6. Clean the pan, return to the heat with some more oil, and fry the prawns on high for a minute or two.
7. Add the mussels, squid, clams, and a little of the clam brine and pour in the simmering sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and add the scallops and perch.
8. Once the mussels have all opened, all the other seafood should be perfectly cooked. Season to taste.
9. Depending on the occasion, you may want to just place the pan on the table with a chopping board of bread, or you may want to plate it up. If so, arrange your 4 plates and divide the seafood evenly among them using a set of tongs, and then ladle the sauce over. Sprinkle over some parsley and serve with a red or white wine.