Patagonian Seafood Casserole

Cazuela de mariscos patagónica is a seafood dish typical of southern Argentina, where the richness of fresh shellfish from the Patagonian coast is combined with a tomato base, sautéed vegetables, and spices.

It’s traditionally cooked in a clay casserole dish, a vessel that holds heat very well and can go from stovetop to oven and then straight to the table.

Patagonian Seafood Casserole

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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Argentine

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 300 g of mussels, cleaned (about 10.5 oz)
• 300 g of shrimp, peeled (about 10.5 oz)
• 200 g of squid, sliced into rings (about 7 oz)
• 300 g of hake fillet or other white fish, in pieces (about 10.5 oz)
• 1 of onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 of bell pepper, chopped
• 1 of carrot, finely cubed
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 400 g of crushed tomato or tomato purée (about 14 oz)
• 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
• 500 ml of fish stock (about 2 cups)
• to taste of fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (optional)
• to taste of salt and pepper

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Instructions

1. Cook the vegetables, in a clay casserole dish (or a regular pot), heat the olive oil and cook the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and carrot until tender.
2. Add the tomato, stir in the crushed tomato and paprika, and cook a few minutes until the sauce deepens in color.
3. Add the stock, pour in the fish stock and let it simmer a few minutes so the flavors combine.
4. Add the fish, stir in the pieces of white fish and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the shellfish, stir in the mussels, shrimp, and squid, and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, until all the seafood is cooked through.
6. Season, adjust with salt and pepper, and add fresh chopped cilantro or parsley.
7. Serve, serve piping hot, directly in the clay casserole dish if possible.

Tips for getting it right

• Don’t overcook the seafood: it toughens quickly, so add it near the end and watch the cooking time.
• A clay casserole dish helps hold heat and cook more evenly.
• You can mix in whatever seafood you find fresh: clams, octopus, or scallops also work well in this recipe.
• Homemade fish stock, made from shrimp shells and heads, greatly boosts the final flavor.

Traditional variations

• Some Patagonian recipes add a splash of white wine to the sofrito before adding the stock.
• It’s also made with clams or scallops in addition to the classic seafood, depending on what the coast offers.

How to serve

Cazuela de mariscos is served very hot, directly in the clay casserole dish, as a main course.

It’s great paired with crusty bread to soak up the broth.

Recommended sides

• Crusty bread
• White wine
• Simple salad

Did you know?

The clay casserole dish that gives this dish its name is a very versatile vessel: it holds heat well and can go from stovetop to oven and then straight to the table.

Argentina’s Patagonian coast is known for the quality of its seafood, which makes this casserole a representative dish of the country’s southern cuisine.