Cacciucco alla livornese
Livorno's spicy, tomato-rich mixed fish and shellfish stew, poured over garlic toast
Cacciucco is the great fish stew of Livorno, the port city on the Tuscan coast, where it is said to need at least five kinds of seafood, one for each C in its name. Fishermen once made it with the unsold catch; today the harbour trattorie ladle it, thick and fiery with chilli, over slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic. This version uses firm white fish, squid, mussels, clams and prawns cooked in tomato and red wine; the wine is traditional, and the note gives an alcohol-free option. Serve it as a whole meal, with more garlic toast on the side. Chef's tip: add the seafood in stages, from the firmest to the most delicate, so nothing turns rubbery.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the stew
For the garlic toast
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Tap any open 1 ⅛ lb mussels and 1 ⅛ lb clams on the worktop and discard any that don't close, along with any with broken shells.
5 minStep 2: Heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil in a large, wide casserole over a medium heat. Add 4 garlic, 2 dried red chillies and 4 sage leaves and fry for 1 minute until the garlic is pale gold.
2 minStep 3: Add 14 oz squid and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, then pour in ¾ cup dry red wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Stir in 1 ¾ lb chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 cups fish stock and 1 tsp salt. Cover and simmer gently until the squid is tender and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes.
30 minStep 5: Lay 1 ¾ lb firm white fish fillets (monkfish, gurnard, hake) in the sauce, cover and simmer for 4 minutes without stirring, so the pieces don't break up.
4 minStep 6: Add 1 ⅛ lb mussels, 1 ⅛ lb clams and 10 ½ oz large raw prawns, cover and cook for 4–5 minutes until the shells open, the prawns turn pink and the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Discard any mussels or clams that stay shut. Don't stir hard or boil fast: that is the usual reason the fish turns to mush.
5 minStep 7: Meanwhile toast 12 slice rustic bread until golden and rub each slice with the cut side of 2 garlic.
5 minStep 8: Put two slices of toast in each warm bowl, ladle the cacciucco over and scatter with 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cacciucco alla livornese take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of dry red wine?
- Stock with 1 tsp red wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
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