Fideuà

If you can’t find Florida lobster tail or royal red shrimp, substitute one large lobster tail and colossal size shrimp. The dish is traditionally made in a cazuela, a heafty, wide earthenware pot that retains heat well, but you can also use a heavy casserole or baking dish.

Ingredients

4 oz. dry Spanish chorizo, casings removed, coarsely cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup plus 2-1/2 Tbs. olive oil; more for the grill
8 oz. fideo pasta
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/8 tsp. saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups fish stock
1 cup clam juice
Kosher salt
8 littleneck clams, cleaned
8 mussels, cleaned, beards removed
1 Florida lobster tail, shell-on
Freshly ground black pepper
10 oz. Florida royal red shrimp (about 8), peeled with tails intact and cleaned

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.
Soak two 12-inch bamboo skewers in water and set aside.
Meanwhile, pulse the chorizo in a food processor until crumbly, about 1 minute. Heat 1/3 cup of the oil in a 12–inch skillet over medium-high heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the chorizo and cook until the fat is rendered and the oil turns red. Add the fideo, onion, garlic, and saffron. Stir occasionally as the fideo toasts, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
Combine the fish stock and clam juice in large glass measuring cup or medium bowl. Slowly pour enough of the liquid (about two-thirds) into the skillet to just cover the fideo (it’s OK if a few stick out). Reserve the remaining liquid. Spread the fideo in an even layer with a spatula or wooden spoon. Increase the heat to high and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, season to taste with salt if necessary, and transfer the mixture to a cazuela or large baking dish, spreading it in an even layer.
Position the clams evenly over the fideo, pushing them down into the stock. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Add the mussels to the fideo, pushing them down into the stock. If the fideo seems dry, add some of the remaining liquid (you may not need it all), return to the oven, and bake until the shells open, an additional 5 minutes. Cover the fideo with aluminum foil and set aside.
In the meantime, heat a gas or charcoal grill to high. Clean the grates and oil them.
Split the top and bottom of the lobster tail shell with a sharp knife or kitchen shears, leaving the lobster meat intact. In separate bowls, toss the lobster tail with 1 Tbs. of the oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and the shrimp with the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Insert 2 skewers parallel to each other through the length of the lobster tail. Grill, turning occasionally, until the lobster is cooked through and the flesh is opaque, 10 to 12 minutes. Grill the shrimp until they turn pink and opaque, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side.
Distribute the grilled shrimp evenly on top of the fideo. Remove the skewers from the lobster and place the tail in the center of the fideo.

Author

Michael Schwartz

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