To begin, clean and prepare all shellfish. Soak clams in salted water for 1 hour, then rinse thoroughly. Scrub mussels and remove their beards. Keep prawns and fish chilled until ready to cook. Transition to preparing the base.

Place your cataplana over medium heat and add olive oil. Once warm, add onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Move to adding aromatics.

Stir in the chopped garlic, followed by red and green pepper strips. Cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly softened. Transition to building the sauce.

Add chopped tomatoes, sweet paprika, and bay leaf. Stir well and allow the tomatoes to break down, releasing their juices. Move to deglazing with wine.

Pour in the white wine, scraping any browned bits from the base for extra flavour. Let it reduce slightly for 2 minutes. Proceed to adding stock.

Stir in the fish stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transition to layering the seafood.

Arrange the fish chunks over the tomato mixture, followed by the prawns, mussels, and clams. Sprinkle with chopped coriander. Close the cataplana securely to trap steam.

Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, shaking the cataplana gently once or twice to help the seafood cook evenly. Avoid opening until time is up. Transition to checking doneness.

Open the cataplana carefully. The shellfish should be open and fish cooked through. Discard any clams or mussels that remain closed. Adjust seasoning if needed. Move to serving.

Serve the Cataplana de Marisco straight from the vessel for maximum aroma. Garnish with extra coriander and offer crusty bread or potatoes to soak up the sauce.