Rising up Italian-American in Philly, I developed an nearly Pavlovian response to sure Christmas Eve smells: garlic softening in olive oil, the faint licorice waft of fennel, the mineral sweetness of shellfish hitting a sizzling pot. These smells have been the promise of the Feast of the Seven Fishes, the meat-free dinner that introduced collectively too many kinfolk in too small a kitchen, and the day when zuppa di pesce (seafood stew) was certain to be served. 

Zuppa di pesce belongs to a broad household of Italian coastal fish stews, however the model many people within the US know—tomato-heavy, shellfish-forward, and served at vacation gatherings—developed primarily in Italian-American kitchens (on the West Coast, a associated dish is cioppino). In Italy, zuppa di pesce by no means had one official recipe and even one title. Alongside the Tuscan coast, there’s cacciucco, a peppery brick-red stew constructed on small, hard-to-sell fish. Head south to Naples, and zuppa di pesce turns lighter, extra targeted on the garlic, white wine, and regardless of the boats introduced in. On the Adriatic, brodetto guidelines, a fisherman’s stew that varies from city to city. These weren’t fancy celebrations; they have been sensible methods to make use of the much less fascinating catch, remodeled by lengthy simmering and loads of bread.

However when Italian immigrants—principally from the south—arrived in the US, the recipe modified. They stored the overall framework of the dish—wine, aromatics, a mixture of fish and shellfish—however tailored it to American seafood. Entry to considerable cold-water shrimp, clams, mussels, and meaty North Atlantic cod allowed the dish to develop extra different. Zuppa di pesce grew tomatoier, richer, and extra more likely to be served over linguine than bread, a shift that matched the broader red-sauce cooking type many immigrant households developed within the US. By mid-century, it was a seafood extravaganza that virtually wrote its personal vacation invites.

The model right here is the one I grew up with—Philly-style Italian-American, tomato-forward, and completely stacked with seafood, a mixture formed by what’s out there on the East Coast. What I’ve realized from making zuppa di pesce through the years is that it isn’t outlined by any mounted mixture of seafood. It is about selecting what seems freshest and cooking every element so it stays plump and tender.

That precept could be very a lot in step with how Italian dishes have advanced throughout geography. In case your market has beautiful haddock, or your fishmonger is pushing razor clams, otherwise you luck right into a deal on monkfish, it’s best to really feel utterly free to adapt. The one rule is cooking every element on the proper second so nothing overcooks.

Constructing the Sturdy Taste Base

An important a part of this recipe is the tomato base, which you can also make forward for simpler day-of serving. Beginning by sautéing the shrimp shells in oil is a small step that pays off: It infuses the oil with a refined seafood taste earlier than you even add aromatics. The shells are strained out, abandoning a basis with extra depth than olive oil alone can present.
From there, onions and fennel add sweetness. Fennel is widespread in coastal Italian cooking, and right here it brings an fragrant spine that helps the broth style fuller with out including heaviness. Garlic, oregano, and crimson pepper flakes add acquainted Italian-American character, whereas white wine brings acidity. I additionally use a pinch of saffron—not important in each Italian model, however helpful right here for including complexity that enhances the seafood relatively than overwhelming it.
Tomato passata and clam juice type the physique of the stew. Passata reduces easily and cleanly, and letting it cook dinner down by about half concentrates the flavour, making the broth wealthy sufficient to face as much as the seafood.

Timing the Seafood

As soon as the broth is lowered, the seafood goes in primarily based on how lengthy every sort wants. Squid advantages from an extended, mild simmer to show tender. Cod cooks extra shortly however holds its form properly if nestled into the broth. Shrimp cook dinner quick and go in final. The aim is for every little thing to be absolutely cooked, however not overcooked. As a result of the broth is already cooked, the seafood solely wants sufficient time to agency up. Clams and mussels are steamed individually, which supplies you the benefit of eradicating every as quickly because it opens and transferring to the completed stew, so all are correctly and evenly cooked.

Ending and Serving

As soon as the shellfish are added, the stew simply wants a short simmer to return collectively. Recent parsley brightens the broth, and a drizzle of olive oil rounds it out. You possibly can serve this with crusty bread or over linguine—each are widespread in Italian-American households, and both works.

It is a dish formed equally by custom and adaptation, which is precisely what makes it sturdy. Whether or not for Christmas Eve or a weeknight in midwinter, it delivers deep taste, easy approach, and sufficient flexibility to make it your personal.