MARIA DEL MAR RECIPES

Steps:

• Pulse almonds with 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor until ground to a fine paste.
• Bring milk, cinnamon, lemon rind, vanilla, and baking soda to a boil over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottom saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks, the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, and ground almonds until thick and pale. Remove cinnamon and lemon rind and discard. Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk to the yolk mixture.
• Return mixture to pan and cook over low heat, constantly stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Stir in rum or aguardiente. Serve.

Steps:

• In a food processor, chop garlic and anchovies; add 2 tablespoons parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Process to form a loose paste (I had to add more of the olive oil - add up to 2 more tablespoons to process).
• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute softrito, over medium heat, until the garlic pieces are golden and it sizzles.
• Stir in the mussels and clams, tossing to coat in sofrito.
• Add wine, increase heat to medium high, and cook until reduced by half.
• Stir in stock, tomato sauce, and saffron; return to a simmer.
• Add diced fish and cook one minute.
• Add scallops, cook one minute.
• Add shrimp, cook one minute.
• Add squid; taste for seasonings.
• By this time the shells should have opened (sometimes the shellfish, especially the mussels, open before this point and I remove them so they don't get rubbery, then return them at the end), if not cover for a minute or so, until they open; discard any shells that do not open.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over soup and garnish with remaining parsley.