Name: Fideuà (Seafood Noodle Paella)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 180 g Fideo Noodles, short noodles; 180 g Prawns, peeled and deveined; 120 g Squid, cleaned and sliced into rings; 550 ml Fish Stock, hot; 120 g Tomato, grated; 80 g Onion, finely chopped; 3 clove Garlic, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; ¾ tsp Paprika; 1 pinch Saffron, lightly crushed; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to stock saltiness; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly crushed; ½ Lemon, cut into wedges; 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped, for finishing

1 hrtotal

55 min hands-on5 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 35 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Hard
Spice: Mild

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Method

Heat the olive oil in a wide shallow pan. Toast the fideos until lightly golden, then remove them to a plate.
In the same pan, quickly sear the prawns and squid until just colored. Remove them so they do not overcook.
Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook until softened. Stir in the grated tomato and cook until reduced.
Add paprika, saffron, salt, black pepper, and hot fish stock. Bring to a steady simmer.
Return the toasted fideos to the pan and spread them evenly. Cook without stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Place the prawns and squid back on top and cook briefly until the seafood is done and the noodles are tender.
Rest for a few minutes, then finish with parsley and lemon wedges.

How to tell it's done

The noodles should be tender but not mushy, with concentrated seafood flavor and juicy prawns.

Getting it right

Tip

Toasting the fideos first gives the dish its nutty flavor and helps the noodles stay separate.

What to serve it with

Serve directly from the pan with lemon wedges and a simple salad.

Common mistakes

The fideos are gluey.: Toast them properly in oil first and then leave them alone once the stock is in. Fideuà is not risotto — stirring releases starch and turns it into a paste, and untoasted noodles go soft rather than staying separate.
The seafood is rubbery.: Sear it, take it out, and put it back at the very end. Prawns and squid need a minute or two; left in for the whole cooking of the noodles they turn to erasers.

Substitutions

Use Noodles only if Fideos are unavailable, but break them into short pieces before cooking.
Tiger Prawns can replace Prawns if available.
Vegetable Stock can replace Fish Stock for a lighter seafood flavor, but the dish will be less deep and less traditional.

Storing and reheating

Best within the hour — fideuà is served straight from the pan. It keeps a day in the fridge and reheats reasonably in a covered pan with a splash of stock, though the noodles soften. It does not freeze.

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Ingredients