CatalanMedium · Hot
Gambes i Cloïsses Suquet amb Patata
A coastal Catalan suquet of briny clams and shrimp simmered in a saffron-stained broth with soft potatoes, finished with a traditional almond-garlic picada.
Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Total
55 min
Method
Prepare the Picada
1
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Build the Sofregit
3
Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the 5 cloves of garlic and cook gently until softened but not colored, about 2 minutes.
4
Add the diced tomato and sliced bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato breaks down and the sofregit is thick and jammy, about 12 minutes.
Simmer the Broth and Potato
5
Bloom the saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm water for 5 minutes. Pour the chicken broth and saffron water into the pot with the sofregit. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook the Shellfish
7
Nestle the clams into the simmering broth. Cover the pot and cook for 5-8 minutes until all the clams have opened fully.
8
Add the shrimp and recover. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the shrimp are pink and curled. Verify all clams remain open; if any have closed, cook 1-2 minutes more. Discard any clams that remain closed.
Finish with Picada and Serve
9
Stir the picada into the suquet, mixing gently to thicken the broth without breaking the potato or shellfish. Let it simmer for 2 more minutes to meld the flavors.
A
Nutri-Score
Excellent balance
A–E · lower is better · score -4
Calories
476
per serving
High in protein · 39gLow sugar · 6gLow saturated fat · 3g
Protein
39g
Carbs
36g
Fat
20g
Sat. fat
3g
Fiber
6g
Sugar
6g
Sodium
1191mg
Gluten FreePescatarianDairy FreeMediterraneanHeart HealthyLow Saturated FatOmega 3 RichHigh ProteinBalanced MealMicronutrient Dense
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
Grade pending
Environmental impact
Estimated footprint
Grade pending · 78% ingredient coverage
kg CO2e
≥2.3
per serving
Shrimp drives 87% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
7
Umami
5
Sweet
6
Salty
4
Sour
3
Bitter
1
Spicy
Textures
TenderSilkyBrinySaucyCreamy
Aromas
SaffronBrinyGarlicHerbalNuttyTomato
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
Dutch OvenCounter FootprintMedium
Techniques
Safety & Storage
Cooking Temperature
Cook shellfish until shrimp are pink and curled (internal temp 145°F), clams must open fully. Discard any clams that remain closed after cooking.
If using homemade chicken broth, ensure it reaches a full boil (212°F/100°C) before adding to the pot. Store-bought broth is already pasteurized and safe to use directly.
Cross Contamination
Keep raw shellfish separate from other ingredients during prep. Use dedicated cutting boards and utensils for shellfish to prevent cross-contamination with other dishes.
Storage
Keep shrimp and clams refrigerated at 40°F or below until ready to cook. Do not let shellfish sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if room is above 90°F).
High Risk Population
Shellfish poses higher risk for pregnant women, elderly, immunocompromised, and young children. Ensure complete cooking and avoid raw or undercooked shellfish for these groups.
Allergen Warning
This dish contains shellfish (shrimp), mollusks (clams), and tree nuts (almonds). Verify all guests have no allergies before serving. Clean preparation surfaces thoroughly between uses.
Handling
Verify clams are alive before cooking (shells should close when tapped). Rinse clams under cold running water and scrub shells if needed. Work with shellfish last in preparation sequence.
Serve suquet immediately after cooking. The saffron broth and potato should be consumed within 2 hours of cooking for optimal quality and food safety.
Pro Tips
Technique
Never rush the shellfish — let them open in their own steam under a covered lid. Three minutes for the clams, then three more when you add the shrimp. If you're poking and prodding, you're squeezing out the juices and the soul of the suquet.
Substitution
Live mussels work beautifully here if clams are unavailable. Simply replace the 400g of clams with an equal weight of scrubbed, debearded mussels and adjust the timing slightly — they'll open just as the shrimp finish cooking.
Flavor Boost
Bloom your saffron in warm chicken broth, not water — the gelatin and umami from the stock carry the saffron's aroma deeper into the finished dish.
From the chef
Every suquet I make takes me back to the Mercat de la Barceloneta at dusk, when my father would gather whatever remained at the stall — clams still gritty with sand, shrimp with their shells intact. This version with gambes and cloïsses is the one I return to again and again: a saffron broth that stains everything golden, potatoes soft enough to drink the sea, and that final stir of almond-garlic picada that binds it all together like a prayer over the pot.
TagsSeafoodShellfishSaffronCatalanTraditionalPotatoPicadaSofregitOne PotDutch Oven
AllergensShellfishMollusksTree Nuts
Source: generated · June 10, 2026