Recipe: A 35-Minute Spanish-Style Mussels, Prawn, Chickpea and Tomato Stew

Tom Walton has spent the last 10 years working in coastal restaurants and according to him, it shows. “My love of seafood has just flourished,” says the Sydney-based chef and cookbook author. “And I’ve got a family now, so I lean towards cooking at home a lot more. So that’s what I love to share – that home-style cooking.”

One such homestyle recipe is his Spanish-style mussels, prawn, chickpea and tomato stew, which you can find in his cookbook, More Fish, More Veg. The stew, Walton says, “takes inspiration from a dish called a ‘suquet’ – a Catalonian recipe – which is one of my favourite seafood dishes because it’s a really simple, humble dish that doesn’t need many ingredients: just really good seafood and one pot.”

The chef says it’s an easy one for weeknights and is a no-brainer for the colder months. “You know, to put a big pot of delicious mussels and prawns in the middle of the table with bread screams winter comfort food,” he says.

Before you begin, Walton shares one piece of advice to ensure a perfectly prepared stew. “The main thing with seafood is to not overcook it,” he says, “So, get that sauce ready. Make sure it’s nice and hot and bubbling, because once you’re adding the prawns and the mussels, you’re only going to be a few minutes away from it being ready.

“But other than that, just don’t be shy with it. I think people get a bit hesitant, but as much as seafood is delicate, it’s such a simple thing to cook – especially with this method of cooking.”

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Spanish mussels, prawns, chickpeas and tomato stew

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
4 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 cup dry white wine
A pinch of saffron threads (optional)
2 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
1kg live mussels
12 medium raw prawns, peeled, head and tail left on
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Crusty bread, lemon wedges & aioli to serve

Method

Heat a large, deep saucepan over a medium-high heat and add the olive oil, onion, garlic and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until the onion’s translucent but hasn’t yet started to colour.

Add the tomato paste, paprika and bay leaves, stir through and continue cooking for 2 minutes longer. Add the wine and saffron and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and chickpeas. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the mussels and prawns, stir through and cover the pan. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, or until the mussels have popped open and the prawns are cooked through. Adjust the seasoning to taste and scatter the parsley.

Serve with the crusty bread, lemon and aioli.

Looking for more ways to use up tinned tomatoes? Check out Broadsheet's tinned tomato and passata recipe round-up. And for more dishes to cook once the mercury drops, check out our winter recipe series.