Brodetto di Porto Recanati
Brodetto di Porto Recanati is a saffron-tinted Adriatic fish stew made without tomato, known locally as 'l brudettu portorecanatese.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide terracotta or heavy-bottomed shallow pot
- •Tongs
- •Ladle
- •Chef's knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 32 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 48 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the sliced onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until soft and translucent without browning.
- 3
Add the cuttlefish and cook for 5 minutes until it tightens and releases its juices.
- 4
Pour in the white wine and let the alcohol bubble away completely for 2 minutes.
- 5
Layer the firmest fish pieces, starting with monkfish and gurnard, into the pot.
- 6
Pour in 250 ml of warm water and the steeped saffron liquid.
- 7
Cover the pan and simmer gently over low heat for 15 minutes.
- 8
Nestle the red mullet and mantis shrimp carefully into the simmering liquid.
- 9
Cover and cook for another 8 minutes without stirring, shaking the pan gently to settle the fish.
- 10
Season the golden broth with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and chopped parsley.
- 11
Place two slices of toasted country bread into each wide soup bowl.
- 12
Ladle the mixed fish and vibrant saffron broth generously over the bread.
Chef's tips
Never stir the pot with a wooden spoon after adding the delicate fish, or the flesh will break apart into mush. Gently swirl or shake the pan by the handles instead to coat the fish in the fragrant saffron broth.
Ingredient substitutions
- tub gurnard or scorpion fish → sea bass or cod steaks, keeping cooking times short
- mantis shrimp → langoustines or large whole prawns in their shells
Storage
Keep any leftover fish and broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat very gently in a covered pan over low heat until hot, avoiding vigorous boiling.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, which ruins the authentic white-and-saffron profile of Porto Recanati.
- •Vigorously stirring the pot and breaking the delicate red mullet and white fish pieces.
- •Adding all fish at once rather than layering them by cooking density.
Serving suggestions
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