Neapolitan Seafood Stew

Stufato di Frutti di Mare

This stew is found all over the Amalfi coast where my mum is from. There are many variations of what you can include but below is my favourite combination. If you want to throw in some calamari or octopus be my guest … my only suggestion is that whatever seafood you buy is from your local shores. Don’t buy something that is imported. My other imperative suggestion is that you go to the trouble of making a fish stock from scratch …. it makes the world of difference to the flavour by taking it to another level. But if you’re feeling lazy use a good quality prepackaged fish stock…it will still taste great just add a cup of white wine to your stew as well.

Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the homemade fish stock:

1 chopped onion

2 carrots

2 celery sticks

Olive oil

2 cups of white wine

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon of tarragon

1 teaspoon of fennel seeds

1 tablespoon of peppercorns

1 carcass of white fish (about 1 kg)

Shells of the peeled prawns to be used in the stew

Water to cover all the ingredients

Muslin cloth (or a fine sieve strainer)

For the stew:

1 onion, chopped

2 whole garlic cloves

Olive oil

2 tins of crushed tomatoes

2 cups of fish stock (homemade or store bought)

4 pieces of Blue Eye Cod fillets (or other firm-fleshed white fish), skinned, boned and cut into 3x3cm pieces

1 kg of mussels or clams

About 16 large green king prawns (they have to be green and I like to find green tiger prawns if possible)

1 cup of chopped Italian parsley

Method

To make the fish stock:

1. Roughly chop the onion, carrot and celery and gently fry in a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil

2. Throw all remaining ingredients in the pot and cover completely with water

3. Gently simmer and continuously skim off the white froth that comes to the surface

4. After one hour, you should have a lovely fragrant broth. Strain through a muslin cloth or strainer. (This makes about 1 litre of stock so you can freeze the left over for another time)

To make the stew:

1. In a large pot, gently fry the onion and garlic pieces in some oil. Add the tinned tomatoes and bring to a simmer

2. Pour in the fish stock and add the fish. Let it become opaque (takes about 5 minutes)

3. Add the mussels, followed by the prawns 2 minutes later – Cover with a lid to let the mussels open (this takes another 5 minutes)

4. Add salt and pepper to taste

5. Dish out into big bowls and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley

6. Trust me this dish is extraordinary!