Cacciucco
A fishermen's soup from the port of Livorno, as thick as a stew. A popular saying has it that it should contain at least as many kinds of fish and seafood as there are letters “c” in its name, which makes five — here there are two kinds of white fish, squid, mussels and prawns. Squid braised in a tomato and red wine sauce with garlic, sage and chilli, followed by chunks of white fish, mussels and prawns, served over toast rubbed with garlic. In Livorno red wine often goes into the sauce. Order matters: the squid cooks longest, the mussels and prawns shortest, so everything stays tender and juicy.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Preparing the fish and seafood 30 min
- Braising the squid 25 min
- Fish 5 min
- Mussels and prawns 5 min
- Toast 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 donePrepare the seafood
Cut the squid into rings, leaving the tentacles whole. Cut the fillet into 4 cm chunks. Scrub the mussels (bought the same day and kept in the fridge) and pull off the beards. Discard any cracked mussels and any that stay open when tapped — they are dead and unsafe.
Ingredients: 300 g squid, cleaned · 500 g skinless white fish fillet, ideally two kinds (e.g. cod and monkfish) · 500 g live mussels in their shells · 300 g shell-on prawns
Open mussels that do not close when tapped — throw them out.Start the sauce
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and gently fry the chopped garlic, chilli and sage over low heat, about 2 minutes, without browning the garlic.
Ingredients: 5 tbsp olive oil · 3 cloves garlic · 1 pcs red chilli · 4 pcs sage leaves · 150 ml dry red wine · 400 ml tomato passata · 500 ml fish stock or water · 1 tsp salt · ½ bunch parsley
Braise the squid
Add the squid, fry 2 minutes, pour in the wine and let it bubble off for 2–3 minutes. Add the passata and stock, salt and braise covered over low heat 20 minutes, until the squid is tender.
Ingredients: 300 g squid, cleaned · 500 g skinless white fish fillet, ideally two kinds (e.g. cod and monkfish) · 500 g live mussels in their shells · 300 g shell-on prawns
Squid cooks longest — until tender.Add the fish
Lay the fish chunks in the sauce without stirring, so they do not break up. Cover and simmer gently 3–4 minutes, until the outside of the fish turns opaque — it finishes cooking with the shellfish.
Ingredients: 300 g squid, cleaned · 500 g skinless white fish fillet, ideally two kinds (e.g. cod and monkfish) · 500 g live mussels in their shells · 300 g shell-on prawns
Add mussels and prawns
Lay the mussels and prawns over the fish, cover and cook 4–5 minutes, until the mussels open, the prawns turn pink and the fish is opaque right through and starts to flake. Discard any mussels that stay shut.
Ingredients: 300 g squid, cleaned · 500 g skinless white fish fillet, ideally two kinds (e.g. cod and monkfish) · 500 g live mussels in their shells · 300 g shell-on prawns
Toast the bread
Meanwhile toast the bread slices in a dry pan or toaster and rub them with a cut garlic clove.
Ingredients: 6 pcs stale bread, slices · 1 clove garlic for rubbing
Garlic toast — in the bottom of the bowl.Season
Taste the sauce and adjust the salt — carefully, as the mussels release salty juices. Scatter with chopped parsley.
Ingredients: 5 tbsp olive oil · 3 cloves garlic · 1 pcs red chilli · 4 pcs sage leaves · 150 ml dry red wine · 400 ml tomato passata · 500 ml fish stock or water · 1 tsp salt · ½ bunch parsley
Serve over toast
Put a slice of toast in the bottom of each deep bowl and spoon over the fish, seafood and sauce. Serve at once.
Ingredients: 6 pcs stale bread, slices · 1 clove garlic for rubbing
Before you start
More kinds of fish
In Livorno cacciucco also includes octopus, cuttlefish, scorpion fish and other rockfish. The more kinds, the deeper the flavour — just keep to the rule: what cooks longest goes in first (add octopus and cuttlefish with the squid).
Stock from heads and bones
If you buy head-on prawns or fillet the fish yourself, make a quick stock from the heads and bones: 20 minutes in 700 ml water with onion and a bay leaf, then strain. It gives far more flavour than plain water.
Storage
Cacciucco is best at once. Cool leftovers quickly, keep them in the fridge until the next day at most and reheat until piping hot, without long boiling.
