Sicilian-style Seafood Stew in Delicious Sauce
Region: Italy
Category: Stews
Season: Any
Difficulty: Medium Difficulty

One look at the ingredient list and I imagine you've clicked elsewhere.  Don't: this recipe is just one thing added after another and will take about 40 minutes to prepare and cook.  Many of the preparation chores can be done together.  You can chop the garlic, celery and onion together.  You can mix the anchovy, capers, raisins, pine nuts, olives, fennel and oregano together and keep it in the refrigerator until needed.  Whatever you choose to do you will be rewarded with a heavenly stew.  Incidentally, the name is not completely made up: a Sicilian fish soup is known as ghiotta, a word that can also mean “delicious.”  Serve with crostini, slices of Italian bread previous fried in garlic-flavored olive oil.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Pinch of saffron threads

1/2 cup hot water

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (optional)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half, seeded squeezed out, and grated against the largest holes of a standing grater down to the peel

4 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed

1 1/2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

1 tablespoon golden raisins

1 tablespoon pine nuts

5 large green olives, pitted and chopped

1/4 teaspoon fennel seed

4 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 pound sea scallops

1/2 pound swordfish, cut to the same size as the scallops

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 pound cooked lobster meat

3 ounces cooked crab meat

10 ounces cooked shrimp

1. Crumble the saffron in a mortar and add the hot water letting the spice steep until needed.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar with the vinegar, wine, and fresh oregano and set aside.

3. In a large and deep flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the garlic, onion, and celery until translucent, stirring often so the garlic doesn't burn, about 4 minutes.  Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the casserole.  Cook until some of the juices have evaporated, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes.  Pour in the reserved saffron water, stir, then add the anchovy, capers, raisins, pine nuts, green olives, fennel seed, and oregano.  Stir again to mix well, cover and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the scallops and swordfish, cover, and continue cooking over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

5. Add the sugar and vinegar mixture to the sauce and continue cooking, uncovered, for 2 minutes.  Taste the sauce and correct for salt, pepper, and oregano.  Taste a piece of swordfish, it should be almost done.  Add some boiling water if the broth is too thick; it should be a little soupy.

6. Add the lobster, crab, and shrimp and cook for 1 minute.  Serve hot.

Variation: 

Note: 

Posted: 12/29/2006