Zuppa Di Pesce Marechiara Recipes

ZUPPA DI MARE (SEAFOOD SOUP)

Steps:

• In a food processor, chop garlic and anchovies; add 2 tablespoons parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Process to form a loose paste (I had to add more of the olive oil - add up to 2 more tablespoons to process).
• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute softrito, over medium heat, until the garlic pieces are golden and it sizzles.
• Stir in the mussels and clams, tossing to coat in sofrito.
• Add wine, increase heat to medium high, and cook until reduced by half.
• Stir in stock, tomato sauce, and saffron; return to a simmer.
• Add diced fish and cook one minute.
• Add scallops, cook one minute.
• Add shrimp, cook one minute.
• Add squid; taste for seasonings.
• By this time the shells should have opened (sometimes the shellfish, especially the mussels, open before this point and I remove them so they don't get rubbery, then return them at the end), if not cover for a minute or so, until they open; discard any shells that do not open.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over soup and garnish with remaining parsley.

PEASANT'S ZUPPA DI PESCE

Steps:

• In a large saute pan (approximately 16-inches), add oil, garlic, and shallots. Saute until garlic and shallots are a very light golden color. Add all the fish to pan along with the wine, water, tomatoes, thyme, salt, pepper, and oregano. Cover pan and let simmer until clams and mussels open, approximately 20 minutes. Add parsley and basil and divide evenly into 4 soup bowls.
• At Peasant, Frank floats crostini (toasted bread rubbed with olive oil, garlic, Parmigano, oregano, salt and pepper) on top of each serving.

ZUPPA DI PESCE MARECHIARA

Steps:

• Clean and cut the calamari into small rings. Remove the shell and devein the shrimp. Wash in cold water the clams and the mussels. Heat the olive oil and garlic until the garlic is slightly golden. Add the calamari, the mussels and the clams. Saute` for two minutes. Then add the white wine. Continue to saute` until the clams and the mussels open. Any clams or mussels that do not open, do not force to open as they may be bad. Remove them from the pan and open them outside of the pan or just discard them. Add the cherry tomatoes, shrimp and scallops and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

ITALIAN FISH SOUP

Steps:

• Make soup:
• Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry. If squid are large, halve ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Pull off flaps from squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings.
• Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until golden but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano to pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in clams and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 6 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes.) Stir in mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened mussels after 6 minutes.)
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
• Add stock to pot along with remaining 4 cups water, tomatoes with juice, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Make toasts while stock simmers:
• Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then drizzle with oil and season with salt. Bake, turning over once, until golden, about 10 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool slightly, then rub lightly with cut sides of garlic and sprinkle with parsley.
• Finish soup:
• Add halibut to stock and cook at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in squid and reserved shellfish, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in basil and parsley and serve immediately, with toasts alongside for dipping.

ZUPPA DI PESCE

Steps:

• Make soup: Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry.
• If squid are large, halve ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
• Pull off flaps from squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings.
• Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until golden but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch.
• Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano to pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds.
• Add wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in clams and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 6 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes.)
• Stir in mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened mussels after 6 minutes.)
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F
• Add stock to pot along with remaining 4 cups water, tomatoes with juice, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Make toasts while stock simmers: Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then drizzle with oil and season with salt.
• Bake, turning over once, until golden, about 10 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool slightly, then rub lightly with cut sides of garlic and sprinkle with parsley.
• Finish soup: Add halibut to stock and cook at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in squid and reserved shellfish, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in basil and parsley and serve immediately, with toasts alongside for dipping.

ZUPPA DI PESCE E FRUTTI DI MARE (MEDITERRANEAN SEAFOOD SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut cod into pieces, reserving any scraps. Peel and devein prawns, reserving any scraps.
• Place cod and prawn scraps, quartered onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until fish stock is fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain and reserve fish stock.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir sliced onion, red chile pepper, and minced garlic until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in wine; cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add cod, prawns, clams, and mussels; pour in 1 cup fish stock. Simmer until fish is cooked through and clams and mussels have opened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Toast bread in a toaster. Rub garlic halves on to 1 side of toasted bread.
• Place a piece of toasted bread in the bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle soup over toasted bread and top with parsley.