🇮🇹 Italian · Soup
🦐 Cacciucco alla Livornese
Cacciucco
A rich, hearty fish stew from the port city of Livorno, traditionally built from at least five varieties of fish and shellfish, spooned over garlic-rubbed toasted bread.
Local legend holds that a proper cacciucco requires as many types of seafood as there are Cs in its name, five, reflecting a dish born from fishermen using the full, varied catch of the day rather than any single prized fish.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large heavy pot with lid
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) mixed fish and shellfish (such as squid, mussels, clams, small octopus, and firm white fish)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 whole clove for rubbing bread
- 1 dried chili, crumbled
- 200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) dry red wine
- 500 g (1 lb) canned crushed tomatoes
- 800 ml (3¼ cups) fish stock
- 100 ml (scant ½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Slices of rustic bread, toasted
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Clean and prepare all the seafood, cutting larger pieces into manageable portions.
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion until softened, then add the minced garlic and chili.
- Add the wine and let it reduce by half.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and fish stock, and bring to a simmer.
- Add the seafood in stages according to cooking time — start with the firmer, longer-cooking items like octopus and squid, simmering for 20 minutes.
- Add the fish and shellfish that cook more quickly, such as clams and mussels, in the final 8–10 minutes, covering the pot until they open.
- Season to taste and finish with fresh parsley.
- Rub the toasted bread slices with the whole garlic clove and place one in the bottom of each bowl before ladling the cacciucco over top.
Chef Tips
- Add seafood in stages according to how quickly each type cooks, so nothing ends up over- or under-done.
- A genuine variety of seafood, traditionally at least five kinds, gives the broth its characteristic depth.
- The garlic-rubbed toasted bread at the bottom of the bowl is an essential part of the dish, not just a garnish.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding all the seafood at once, resulting in some pieces being overcooked while others remain undercooked.
- Skipping the toasted bread base, which is a defining element of the traditional presentation.
- Using too narrow a range of seafood, missing the complexity that variety brings to the broth.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- An excellent source of lean protein, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids from the varied seafood.
Cultural Note
Cacciucco is the signature dish of the port city of Livorno, born from fishermen's tradition of using the day's full, varied catch rather than selecting a single fish.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best eaten fresh; seafood stew does not keep or reheat particularly well.
Reheating: Not recommended; the seafood toughens significantly upon reheating.
Serve with: Toasted, garlic-rubbed bread, A dry Tuscan white or light red wine