Fideuá Rápida de Marisco
Fideuá Rápida de Marisco·(fee-deh-WAH RAH-pee-dah deh mah-REES-koh)
El Domingo y La Sobremesa: Sunday Rituals & The Lingering Table
Fideuá is paella’s working-class cousin, born on the fishing boats of Gandía when a clever cook swapped out rice for thick noodles. It’s unpretentious, deeply comforting, and entirely dependent on a few crucial, uncompromising techniques. You don't need to spend your entire day simmering rockfish to make it work; you just need to fortify a good boxed broth with shrimp shells, fiercely toast the dry pasta in seafood-infused oil, and finish the whole pan in a blistering hot oven. That final blast of heat makes the noodles curl and stand on end—the true hallmark of a flawless seaside feast, pulled off on a busy Tuesday night in Ohio.
Before you start
Make the quick alioli shortcut.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, the single grated garlic clove, and the lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and set aside in the fridge. True alioli is a notoriously difficult emulsion of just garlic and oil, but this modern Spanish home-cook trick works perfectly for a weeknight.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
Ensure you have an oven rack positioned in the middle. You will need the oven blazing hot for the final step to make the noodles stand up.
Ingredients
- high-quality boxed seafood or fish stock4 cup
- large raw shrimp (21-25 count)1 lb
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- extra virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- fresh squid tubes1/2 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- garlic clove3 med
- garlic clove1 med
- Roma tomato1 large
- Spanish sweet smoked paprika1 tsp
- saffron threads1 pinch
- Size No. 2 fideo pasta or angel hair pasta10 oz
- kosher salt1 tsp
- high-quality mayonnaise1/2 cup
- fresh lemon juice1 tsp
Method
- 01
Fortify the broth with the shrimp shells.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the reserved shrimp shells and sauté for 2 minutes until bright pink. Pour in the white wine, let it bubble rapidly for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol, then add the seafood stock. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the shells out and keep the broth hot.
- 02
Sear the seafood in the pan.
Place a wide, heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet (or a traditional carbon-steel paella pan) over medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Sear the shrimp for 30 seconds per side, then remove them to a plate. Add the squid, sear for 1 minute until opaque, and remove to the same plate. Leave the flavorful oil right where it is.
- 03
Build the sofrito.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the finely diced onion and cook slowly for 6 to 8 minutes until deeply softened and translucent. Make a well in the center, add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 04
Protect the paprika and add the tomato.
Pull the pan completely off the heat for 10 seconds. Stir in the sweet smoked paprika rapidly so it doesn't burn and turn bitter. Immediately return the pan to the heat, pour in the grated tomato pulp, and cook until the water evaporates, leaving a dark, jammy paste that separates from the oil.
- 05
Fiercely toast the noodles.
Pour the dry, broken noodles directly into the pan. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes until every noodle is coated in the oil and toasted to a deep, nutty golden-brown. Do not rush this; it is the most critical technique of the dish.
- 06
Simmer the fideuá.
Crush the saffron threads over the toasted noodles. Pour in 3 cups of the hot, fortified broth. Shake the pan to distribute the noodles evenly in a flat layer, then stop stirring completely. Simmer over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until the broth dips below the top layer of noodles. Arrange the reserved shrimp and squid neatly over the top.
- 07
Bake to achieve the standing noodles.
Transfer the entire pan to the preheated 450°F oven. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes. The intense dry heat will force rapid evaporation, causing the tips of the noodles to curl upward and stand on end, while simultaneously forming a slightly crispy bottom layer.
- 08
Rest and serve.
Carefully remove the blazing hot pan from the oven. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 5 minutes so the starches settle and absorb any residual moisture. Serve the pan directly on the table with lemon wedges and a generous dollop of the garlic alioli.
Notes
Do not use a deep pot or Dutch oven.
Fideuá requires rapid, even evaporation. A wide, shallow skillet or a traditional paella pan is strictly required so the noodles toast and crisp instead of boiling into mush.
Never skip toasting the dry noodles.
This technique, called rossejar, alters the starches on the pasta's surface. It prevents the thin noodles from turning gummy when the broth is added, keeping them distinct and beautifully al dente.
From Cook Spanish in America.