Recipe Details

Summary

Name: Cacciuco Alla Livornese

Category: Italian

Ingredients and Directions

4 Tbs. Extra Virgin olive oil

1 Med. onion, finely chopped

1 Stalk celery, finely chopped

1 Med. carrot, finely chopped

4 − 8 Calamari, cleaned and chopped into rings

1 Cup dry red wine

1 28 oz. can Italian plum tomatoes

1 Lb. mussels, cleaned and de−bearded

1 Dozen littleneck clams

1 Cup water

1 Doz. medium shrimp, peeled and de−veined

1 Doz. sea scallops (optional)

2 Lb. assorted firm fleshed fish (Haddock, schrod, cod, monkfish, etc.) cut

into large chunks

4 Tbs. flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil over moderate heat in a four to six quart pot, then add

the onion, celery and carrot, stirring as they go in. Saute the vegetables

until they become soft and slightly browned−−about ten minutes.

Raise the heat to high and add the calamari. Saute, stirring constantly,

until they become purple and begin to brown slightly−−two or three minutes.

With the heat still on high, add the red wine, scraping the bottom of the

pot for any bits of vegetables that may have caramelized. Boil for a minute

or two in order to evaporate the alcohol. Reduce the heat to low, and, with

the pot off the stove, add the tomatoes, crushing them with the back of a

fork as they go in.

Return the pot to the stove and bring the calamari/tomato/wine mixture to

the simmer. Simmer gently while you prepare the mussels and clams. In a

separate four to six quart pot, add the mussels, clams and water, then bring

to the boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat to medium and allow the shellfish

to steam for about five minutes, or until their shells open. Discard any

that have not opened. When they have finished steaming, remove the pot from

the stove and remove the shellfish with a slotted spoon, reserving the

steaming liquid. When the shellfish are cool enough to handle, remove them

from their shells.

Add the shrimp and optional scallops to the simmering tomato mixture,

raising the heat if necessary to maintain the simmer. Cook for approximately

three minutes, until the shrimp begin to turn pink. Add the clams and

mussels and their reserved steaming liquid, being careful at the end not to

add any sand that may have precipitated to the bottom of the pot. Simmer for

an additional three minutes, stirring gently once or twice.

Add the fish, but do not stir the pot this time as it will cause the fish to

break apart further. You're seeking a finished dish with large chunks of

fish in addition to the other seafood. Simmer for five minutes, then remove

the pot from the heat.

If using bruschetta, place a piece in each of four bowls, then ladle the

soup over the bread, being careful to include a sample of each type of

seafood you've cooked. Garnish each bowl with the freshly chopped parsley

and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve at once.