Squid and Shrimp Fideuà with Allioli

In this one-skillet main course inspired by winemaker Mireia Taribó's homeland of Catalonia in northeastern Spain, slowly sautéed squid and shrimp nestle into a bed of short, thin noodles. The fideuà noodles soak up the seafood stock and onions as they cook, their flavor intensifying as they crisp on the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to overcook the seafood — especially the squid — during the initial sauté. Taribó loves to serve this at dinner parties at her California winery, Camins 2 Dreams.

Squid and Shrimp Fideua with Allioli
Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
Active Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Allioli

  • 1 to 2 small garlic cloves

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • ½ cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed)

  • 1 to 3 teaspoons water

  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Fideuà

  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

  • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion 

  • 12 ounces squid or calamari (mix of tubes and small tentacles), cleaned, tubes sliced into 1/2-inch rounds 

  • 4 head-on unpeeled raw large prawns (about 5 ounces)

  • 8 ounces unpeeled raw large shrimp

  • 1 pound uncooked fideo noodles

  • 4 cups seafood paella stock (such as Aneto Cooking Base for Seafood Paella), warmed

  • ½ teapoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions

Make the Allioli

  1. Mash garlic and salt with a medium-size mortar and pestle (about 1 1/2 cups capacity) until mixture forms a mostly smooth paste. Add egg yolk, and blend with pestle to combine. Gradually add neutral oil drop by drop, stirring constantly with pestle, until mixture starts to thicken, stirring in water 1 teaspoon at a time if mixture becomes too thick to stir. Gradually add olive oil in a very thin stream, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy. Set aside.

Make the Fideuà

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch stainless steel broiler-proof skillet over medium. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add squid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until partially opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer squid mixture to a medium bowl; set aside.

  2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet over medium. Add prawns in a single layer, and cook until partially cooked through, 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. Add shrimp, and cook until partially cooked through, about 1 minute per side; transfer to plate.

  3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet over medium. Add fideo noodles, and cook, stirring often, until noodles are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully add seafood paella stock, salt, and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of skillet, until noodles are very al dente and stock is mostly absorbed but mixture is still slightly soupy, 7 to 9 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. While fideo noodles are simmering, preheat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Stir squid mixture and any liquid in bowl into noodle mixture until evenly distributed. Arrange prawns and shrimp on top. Cook, undisturbed, until stock is completely absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to preheated oven, and broil until shrimp are lightly charred and noodles on surface are golden brown and crispy and start raising into a vertical position, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with allioli. 

Note

Find fideo noodles online at mexgrocer.com.

Originally appeared: September 2021

Related Articles