Livornese-style cacciucco

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 ½ kg fish(s), fresh, mixed, sole, red mullet, halibut, gurnard, scorpionfish as desired
• 400 g mussels
• 200 g mussels (Venus mussels), Vongole mussels
• 200 g octopus (pulpo)
• 200 g squid(s)
• ½ bulb(s) of fennel
• 1 stalk leek, white part only, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 shot of white wine
• Water
• 10 tbsp olive oil
• 2 stalk(s) Celery, diced as brunoise
• 1 carrot(s), diced
• 2 onions, red, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 jar white wine
• 500 g tomatoes, without skin and seeds, diced
• 1 chili pepper(s)
• 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• 6 slice(s) white bread, Italian

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 55 minutes

Fish soup in the style of Livorno, actually a fish stew

Choose at least five types of fish and seafood, as that’s how many Cs there are in the word “cacciucco.” Which species you choose depends on what your fishmonger has to offer. If possible, the fish should be native to the Mediterranean. If you use sole, fillet it; gut all other fish, remove the gills, and scale them. Leave small fish whole, cut larger ones in half or thirds, but remove the heads and fins of all fish. Rinse these fish, and if using sole, also the bones. Change the water frequently until it remains clear. Then, along with half the fennel, the leeks, wine, and bay leaves, bring to a boil with half a liter of water and simmer for 30 minutes to make a fish broth. Strain and set aside. Now, in a large pot that is wider than deep to accommodate all the ingredients, cook a tomato sauce by sautéing celery, carrot, onion, and the other half of the fennel (now cut into a brunoise shape) with 3 finely diced garlic cloves in 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Deglaze with the glass of wine and add the tomatoes. Simmer for about 20 minutes until slightly thickened, then strain. Top up the sauce with 400 ml of the fish stock and reduce again a little, then season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili. If adding octopus, cook the octopus, or the appropriate number of tentacles, separately in a little salted water for about 45 minutes until tender, then cut into coarse slices. Add the larger fish to the gently simmering sauce for 10 minutes, and add the smaller fish accordingly later. After these 10 minutes, add the mussels, followed by the clams for 2 minutes, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Now mix in the sole fillets, the pre-cooked octopus pieces, and the parsley and let it simmer for just 2-3 minutes. You may want to add some of the reserved fish stock during the process. Generally, stir very carefully in the pot from the start. Toast the slices of bread, rub them with the remaining oil and garlic, divide them if necessary, and place each slice in a deep dish. Distribute the various fish and seafood evenly and pour on the sauce. This Tuscan answer to the famous Provençal fish soup is a main course, but can also be served in small portions as a starter. Since cacciucco is more of a stew than a traditional soup with a lot of liquid, it will be quite substantial as a starter. Choose small portions accordingly and cut the fish into smaller pieces.