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Cacciucco (Tuscan fish stew)

Name: Cacciucco (Tuscan fish stew)
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil 6 tbsp; red onion 1 small, finely chopped; garlic 2 cloves, peeled but left whole and lightly crushed; squid 4 small, cleaned and chopped into bite-sized pieces; white wine 200ml; plum tomatoes 400g tin; gurnard or hake 300g skinless, boneless fillet, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces; clams 300g, cleaned; mussels 300g, cleaned; king or tiger prawns 12, shells on; fish stock 500ml; crusty white bread or sourdough, thickly sliced and toasted

1 hour
serves 6
Easy

Cacciucco is a fish stew from Livorno, a port on the coast of Tuscany, and it should contain five types of seafood. This recipe comes from Caldesi in Campagna, an Italian restaurant in Bray

Published: October 16, 2020 at 11:41 am

Try this Tuscan fish stew then check out our vegetarian stew and other Italian recipes.

Recipe author Katie Caldesi says: “I have always thought it strange that Britain doesn’t have a culinary history of fish stew since we are surrounded by water. Up and down the length of Italy are varying recipes for fish in sauce, usually made with broken, oddly shaped or left-over fish and shellfish from the fishmonger’s stall, but always with plenty of flavour. Stufato di pesce, or fish stew, is made both with and without tomatoes, some with saffron, others with pine nuts and mushrooms, some with pasta, others in a simple broth.”

Ingredients

extra-virgin olive oil 6 tbsp
red onion 1 small, finely chopped
garlic 2 cloves, peeled but left whole and lightly crushed
squid 4 small, cleaned and chopped into bite-sized pieces
white wine 200ml
plum tomatoes 400g tin
gurnard or hake 300g skinless, boneless fillet, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
clams 300g, cleaned
mussels 300g, cleaned
king or tiger prawns 12, shells on
fish stock 500ml
crusty white bread or sourdough thickly sliced and toasted

Method

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large, deep, lidded frying pan. Fry the onion for 5-7 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and some seasoning, and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the squid, put the lid on the pan and cook for a few minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Remove the lid and add the wine – leaving the lid off let the wine reduce for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, bash them with a wooden spoon to break them up a bit (they will also break down during cooking) and cook for 20 minutes. Add the gurnard, clams, mussels, prawns and stock, and bring to the boil.
Step 2

Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. At this point discard any closed clams and mussels. Taste to adjust the seasoning, then serve in warm bowls, garnished with parsley and accompanied by crusty bread. Some Livornese put the bread at the bottom of a soup bowl and ladle the soup on top of it to become soaked in the glorious juices!