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Paila marina
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Paila marina

Seafood stew

At the market stalls of Valparaíso, San Antonio and Santiago's Mercado Central, paila marina arrives at the table still bubbling in a clay bowl (the paila): mussels, clams, prawns and white fish in a garlicky, paprika-red broth, eaten with bread and a squeeze of lemon. Chileans swear by it for a hangover, and many add white wine; this version uses only fish stock. The common mistake is cooking all the seafood together for the same time: prawns and fish turn rubbery while the clams open. Add them in stages. Chef's tip: scrub the shellfish and tap any open shells before cooking; throw away any that don't close, and after cooking throw away any that stay shut.

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