Culinary Explorer
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Cacciucco alla Livornese
Created by Chef Graziella
The great fish stew of Livorno, where fishermen transformed the unsellable catch into something magnificent. Five types of seafood minimum, one for each 'c' in the name, swimming in a spicy tomato broth and served over bread rubbed raw with garlic.
Cacciucco is not a refined dish. It was born on the docks of Livorno, where fishermen's wives transformed whatever could not be sold into supper. The ugly fish, the broken shellfish, the small fry that slipped through the nets. Poverty created this stew, and genius perfected it.
The spelling tells you what belongs inside. Five c's demand five varieties of seafood. Some say more is better. I say five is sufficient if you choose well. You need creatures that hold their shape through simmering: octopus and squid that turn tender with time, firm-fleshed fish that do not disintegrate, mussels and clams that steam open at the last moment. The broth must be spicy. Livornese cooking does not fear heat. The peperoncino is not negotiable.
This stew requires your fishmonger's best and your full attention. The timing of adding each seafood determines whether you serve a magnificent cacciucco or an expensive pot of overcooked rubber. There is no recovery from overcooking shellfish. None whatsoever. You must stand at the stove and watch.
Ingredients
octopus
Quantity
1 pound
cleaned
squid
Quantity
1 pound
cleaned and cut into rings and tentacles
firm white fish
Quantity
1 pound
cut into 2-inch pieces
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| octopuscleaned | 1 pound |
| squidcleaned and cut into rings and tentacles | 1 pound |
| firm white fishcut into 2-inch pieces | 1 pound |
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