Italian Seafood Stew
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
In Ancona, the capital of the Marche region on Italy’s Adriatic coast, we learned two similar types of fisherman’s stew. Chef Raffaele Attili at Trattoria La Cantineta demonstrated his recipe for guazzetto and chef Corrado Biló at Trattoria La Moretta taught us brodetto. Both were tomato based and featured four or more types of seafood. We combined our favorite attributes of each to create our version of seafood stew. Be sure to use a firm, meaty white fish that won’t flake apart in the broth. Swordfish is a good option, as is monkfish. We especially like scallops in this dish. Seek out “dry” sea scallops, ones that have not been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), a preservative that forces them to retain water. Dry scallops have a creamy pinkish hue, a sweeter and purer flavor. If not available, shrimp are delicious, too. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Don’t use canned diced tomatoes, which are processed with calcium chloride that keeps their texture firm. Canned whole tomatoes that are crushed by hand better integrate into the broth and meld with the other ingredients.
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