By Manuel Severino – Chef at Don Ramon Restaurant, 7101 S Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33405

When you hear about Cuban food, you probably first think about dishes made based upon pork, beef or

poultry meats. Surprisingly, Cuban cuisine is rich in seafood proposals. Remember Cuba is surrounded

by the waters of the Caribbean and this area is popular in seafood dishes.

This time, we have a proposal from one of the leading Cuban Food restaurants in the city, Don Ramon

Restaurant, actually the first ever of all the popular Don Ramon Restaurants around. Zarzuela de Mariscos

is an excellent seafood stew, originally from the Catalan coast of northeast Spain that traditional

Cuban cuisine has adopted and made very popular. It will be one of the most delicious memories you

will ever hold dear once you cook it for your friends and family for a special occasion.

Ingredients

Creole Sauce

– . Tea spoon of cumin

– . Tea spoon of

oregano

– . Pound of butter

– 2 bay leaves

pepper to taste

-. Cup of tomato sauce

(we use a brand only available to restaurants, but you could use comparable brands like Contadina, with a hint of sweet, avoid a bitter flavor)

– 1 medium chopped green pepper

– 1 medium chopped yellow onion

– 1 large tomato cut into small pieces

– 2 table spoon of fresh minced garlic

– Salt to taste

– 2 cups of water

Hot sauce optional to taste Creole Sauce Procedure

– Heat up butter over low heat until melted, add onions, peppers and fresh tomato until onions are clear. Add garlic. Let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add all the seasonings; oregano, cumin, bay leaves, sal and pepper.

Cook for 2 minutes.

– Add tomato sauce cook for 4 minutes over low heat. After that, add water and let it reduce for about 8 minutes over low heat.

– Check seasonings.

Seafood

– 12 clams

– 3 white fish filet

(about a pound & a half)

– 12 mussles

– . pound of medium size scallops

– 1 pound of medium size shrimp

– 6 crab claws

– 6 (4oz) lobster tails

(optional)

Procedure

– Add fish filet & mussles to warm creole sauce. Let cook for 5 minutes until fish turn white, add rest of seafood.

Cook until shrimp and crab claws turn pink.

– Serve hot and enjoy!