Zuppa di Frutti di Mare
Source of Recipe
Valeejo Times-Herald Jan. 16, 2002
Recipe Introduction
recipe from Soffrito, (subtitled "Tradition and Innovation in Tuscan Cooking") by Benedetta Vitali
List of Ingredients
6 1/2 pounds assorted shellfish, such as mussels, cherrystone clams and small crabs
3 cloves garlic, 2 minced and 1 whole
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1 fresh chile pepper, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 chopped fresh marjoram, or 1/2 teaspoon diced
Salt
1 lemon, quartered
1/2 cup white wine
Tuscan-style bread, sliced and toasted, for serving
Recipe
As well as a main course, this dish can also be served as a first course. Scrub the shellfish, rinsing them several times. Thoroughly clean the outsides of the mussels with a knife, tearing away the beards protruding from the shells.
Combine the garlic, parsley and chile pepper with the oil in a stockpot large enough to contain the whole soup. Put the pot over medium heat, stirring as the oil heats so the garlic does not burn, As soon as the oil begins to sizzle, add the tomatoes and squash them with a fork. When the tomato juice starts to bubble, add the oregano and marjoram and just enough salt to season the tomatoes. Simmer briefly, 2 to 3 minutes, before adding the seafood, lemon and wine. Stir with a wooden spoon and cover tightly. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes over a medium-low heat, stirring every now and then to ensure the seafood cooks evenly. When all the shells are open and the crab is pink, the soup is done; take the pot promptly off the stove. serve the soup piping hot, accompanied with slices of toasted bread rubbed with a peeled clove of garlic to soak up the tasty liquid.
A note about etiquette: Despite what you may have been taught, crabs, shellfish and crustaceans in general should be eaten with the hands, using the empty shells as spoons to pick up a little sauce.
Yields 6 servings.
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