José Pizarro's Christmas seafood stew

Most of us will be tucking into a turkey dinner with all the trimmings this Christmas, but if you’re after something a bit different, why not try a taste of the Mediterranean instead?

José Pizarro is putting his Spanish twist on the Christmas dinner with his festive seafood stew - and he’s got some merry sherry to help wash it down!

Sopa bullabesa de Almeria

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Olive oil, for frying

1 onion, finely chopped

1 bulb of fennel, finely chopped

Fronds reserved

2 teaspoons smoked pimentón de la Vera

Pinch of saffron, soaked in

2 tablespoons boiling water 200 ml (2 fl oz/3⁄4 cup) white wine

50 ml (2 fl oz/1⁄4 cup) Pernod or other anise liqueur

300 g (101⁄2 oz) ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped

Zest and juice of 1⁄2 orange 200 ml (2 fl oz/3⁄4 cup) shellfish or fish stock

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

400 g (14 oz) monkfish, cut into chunks

400 g (14 oz) clams, cleaned 500g(1lb2oz) raw prawns (shrimp), shell on

To serve: crusty bread

Method

• Pour the olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat and gently cook the onion and fennel for 15 minutes, until softened. Add the pimentón and saffron with its soaking liquid, then pour in the wine and Pernod and bubble for 1–2 minutes.

• Add the tomatoes, orange zest, juice and stock. Check the seasoning and bring to a simmer.

• Add the monkfish to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes, then add the clams and prawns and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, until the prawns are pink and the clams are open (discard any clams that have not opened).

• Scatter with the reserved fennel fronds and serve with crusty bread

Featured sherries

- Fino Tio Pepe, £8.99 - Sainsbury's, Ocado etc

- Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximenez - Virgin Wines £25.99