Suquet de peix

Step 1: Check 10 ½ oz clams or mussels: throw away any with cracked shells and any open ones that don't close when tapped on the counter. Keep in the fridge until needed.

Step 2: Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a wide, shallow casserole over a medium heat. Fry 1 slice bread, ⅔ oz blanched almonds and 2 cloves garlic for 2–3 minutes until golden, lift into a mortar and pound with 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and a few drops of stock into a thick paste.

Step 3: In the same oil, fry 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic for 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add 2 ripe tomatoes and 1 tsp sweet paprika and cook for 8 minutes until it becomes a thick, dark sofrito.

Step 4: Crack 1 ½ lb waxy potatoes into rough 1 cm pieces and add them, stirring to coat. Pour in 4 ¼ cups fish stock, crumble in 1 pinch saffron threads, add half of ½ tsp salt and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender and the liquid has turned cloudy.

Step 5: Season 1 ¾ lb firm white fish such as monkfish, hake or gurnard with the rest of ½ tsp salt and lay it in the pan with 8 large raw prawns and the clams. Stir the picada into a ladle of broth and pour it over. Shake the pan gently instead of stirring, so the fish stays whole.

Step 6: Cover and simmer for 6–8 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes, the prawns are pink right through and the shells have opened. Throw away any clams or mussels that stay shut. A common mistake is boiling hard at this stage: the fish breaks into shreds.

Step 7: Rest for 2 minutes off the heat and serve from the pan into shallow bowls.