Brodetto alla Romagnola

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide shallow braiser or Dutch oven (12-inch diameter)
• •Terra cotta tegame if you have one
• •Grill pan or toaster for bread

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the fish

   Sort your fish by thickness and density. The firmest fish goes in first, the most delicate last. Monkfish needs more time than sole. This is not complicated, but it requires attention. Scrub mussels and clams, discarding any that do not close when tapped. Leave shrimp in their shells. The shells give flavor.

   Speak to your fishmonger. Tell them you are making brodetto and ask what is freshest. Traditional brodetto uses at least five types of fish. The variety is the point.
2. 2

   Build the base

   In a wide, shallow pan (a terra cotta tegame is traditional, a wide braiser works), warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook slowly until soft and golden, about 12 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and cook one minute more until fragrant. The garlic must not brown. Remove and discard the garlic cloves.

3. 3

   Add wine and vinegar

   Pour in the white wine and let it bubble until nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the red wine vinegar. This is what makes Romagnol brodetto distinctive. The vinegar cuts through the richness of the fish and gives the broth its characteristic brightness. Let it reduce by half.

   The vinegar is not negotiable. Other coastal towns use different acids or none at all. In Romagna, we use vinegar. If you omit it, you have made something else.
4. 4

   Add tomatoes and broth

   Add the crushed tomatoes and fish broth. Bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper. The tomato should color the broth but not dominate. This is a fish stew, not a tomato stew with fish. Let the broth simmer for 10 minutes to marry the flavors.

5. 5

   Add the fish in stages

   Add the firmest fish first: monkfish, squid if using. Let them cook 5 minutes. Add medium-firm fish: sea bass, mullet. Cook 4 minutes more. Add the shellfish and most delicate fish: sole, shrimp. Cover the pan and cook until mussels and clams have opened and shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes. Discard any shellfish that refuse to open.

   Do not stir. Ever. You will break the fish. Shake the pan gently from time to time if you must, but stirring will turn your stew into fish paste. The pieces should remain intact.
6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Scatter the chopped parsley over the brodetto. Taste the broth and adjust salt if needed. Place a slice of grilled bread in each warm bowl. Ladle the stew over the bread, distributing the fish varieties among the portions. The bread soaks up the broth. This is the proper way. Serve immediately while the steam still rises.

Chef Tips

• •Your fish must be fresh. There is no technique that rescues old fish. If it smells like fish, it is too old. Fresh fish smells like the sea, like clean salt water. Accept nothing less.
• •Ask for the heads and bones when your fishmonger cleans the fish. Simmer them with a bay leaf and peppercorns for 30 minutes to make a quick fish broth. This is better than water and infinitely better than those dreadful cubes.
• •The proportion of vinegar to wine matters. Equal parts is too sharp. The wine should be double the vinegar. Taste as you cook. Adjust. Trust your palate.
• •If you cannot find Mediterranean varieties, use what is freshest at your market: sea bass, porgy, monkfish, red snapper, and firm white fish. Avoid oily fish like mackerel or bluefish. They overwhelm the broth.

Advance Preparation

• •Fish broth can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for a month.
• •The base of onion, wine, vinegar, and tomatoes can be prepared several hours ahead. Stop before adding the fish.
• •Brodetto cannot be reheated successfully. The fish overcooks, the shellfish becomes rubber. Make it and eat it. This is a dish for the present moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 350g)