MORISCOS

Ingredients 

For the tomato base

• 3 cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 large onions – chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic – chopped
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp fry ground fennel
• 2 heaped tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp dry ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp dry oregano
• about 1 liter chicken stock
• juice and zest of two lemons
• 2 tbsp sugar

Fresh fish

• 400gr yellow tail – green on SASSI list
• 800gr hake – green on SASSI list
• 2 kg mussels – green on SASSI list
• 1 medium crab 
• 2 kg prawns – orange on SASSI list

1. Start to get your fire going with charcoal and when you have a few coals, place your pot over the fire and when the pot is hot, add the oil, onion, garlic and all the spices. Stir with a wooden spoon until your onions are soft lightly caramelized. Add the all the other sauce ingredients and bring to a light simmer. Place the lid of the pot back on and relax while the sauce is cooking. Feed your fire with thin wood so that the sauce just bubbles. When the sauce is thick and wants to start catching at the bottom, add more hot water and keep reducing the sauce. Remember the longer it cooks, the better it gets.Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning to your taste.
2. When you are happy, I was after about 1 hour, add the seafood and some salt and place the lid back on. Once all the mussels are open (discard the ones that don’t), the prawns are cooked, the legs of the mussels comes off easily when pulled and the fish is flaking, your pot is ready. Place the pot on the table with heaps of crusty bread and a lemon aioli.