Sluttishly Savoury: Spanish Seafood Stew

The transition between seasons doesn't just alter what I'm wearing on my feet, it also alters what I eat. It's a little bit cold but definitely not stew weather and I don't want to eat soup when the sun is shining. But I've been a little run down and that's exactly what I feel like eating. Instead of thick and heavy stews, clear broths are perfect. A Spanish seafood stew was in order this weekend. I hadn't started cooking when the rest of Team Sluttery arrived, such was the demands of my hangover, but this is a very simple recipe that you can whip up while chatting.

This isn't a very cheap dish. At all. But one of the oldest, most adored members of Team Sluttery was back in the country after abandoning our shores for Australia and this was a celebration. It's such a comforting dish, without being too heavy for a sunny evening. The fact that we chose to eat it with two different carbs is none of your business.

Spanish seafood stew (serves 4 hungry people with lots of bread and rice)
You'll need:

• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
• 2-3 chillies (the amount will depend how spicy you fancy your stew and where you get your chillies, the ones in Sainsbury's are unbelievably crap right now)
• 1 glass white wine
• 1 fillet cod loin (or any other meaty white fish)
• 400ml water
• 1tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper
• 400g cooked prawns
• 200g squid (I used rings, but I would have used tentacle bits if I'd been able to find them)
• 250g scallops, roe removes (these are optional, probably depending on when payday is)
• Handful of chopped parsley.

Make it!

1. Fry the onions and pepper with a little oil in a large saucepan until softened.
2. Throw in the garlic and chillies and reduced to a low heat. Drink more wine, throw the cat out of the kitchen.
3. Add a glass of wine to the pan and give everything a stir.
4. Chop your fish into sizeable chunks and then throw into the pan.
5. Once the fish is cooked through, pour in the water and add the paprika and seasoning.
6. Let everything simmer for around 20 minutes - you want the broth to take on the flavour of the fish and spices, but you don't want the fish to fall apart.
7. When everything is starting to taste and smell brilliant, throw in the rest of the seafood. The rest doesn't need very long at all so get your friends to your friends set the table.
8. After a couple of minutes take everything off the heat and serve your tasty stew in bowls with a sprinkling of parsley.