Recipe: Brodetto (Seafood Stew)

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 3 vine ripened tomatoes
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to brush the bread
  
• 450 grams of seafood marinara mix (mix of squid rings, chunks of fish, prawns, salmon)
• 4 garlic cloves chopped up
• 4 spring onions thinly sliced
• pinch of dried chilli flakes
  
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• pinch of saffron threads
• 1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
• 2 cups (500ml) fish stock
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 1/2 cup chopped flat lead parsley

Method

1. Cut a small cross in the base of each tomato and plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds and then refresh in cold water. The peel will then come off easily. Halve the tomatoes, remove the seeds and slice the flesh into thin strips.
   
2. Heat oil in a wide, shallow saucepan over medium to high heat.
   
3. Ass the marinara mix and cook for 3 minutes or until it starts to colour.
   
4. Reduce the heat to medium and then add the sliced garlic, spring onion and chilli.
   
5. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
   
6. Add the tomato, tomato paste, saffron, wine and stock.
   
7. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes or until the seafood is cooked through.
   
8. Meanwhile, heat a chargrill pan over high heat. Brush both sides of the bread with oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side until well coloured.
   
9. Rub each side of the bread with the whole garlic clove, then divide among the warmed serving bowls.
   
10. Lift the seafood out of the pan and place on the toast. Stir in the parsley. Boil the sauce rapidly for 5 minutes until reduced by half.
    
11. Pour over the seafood and bread and then sprinkle with parsley and serve.
    

Note: I served this with steamed green beans and roast sweet potato.