Zuppa di Pesce for Christmas Eve | Feast of Seven Fishes Recipe
This easy zuppa di pesce combines shrimp, clams, mussels, cod, and calamari in a garlicky tomato and white wine broth. Serve this Italian seafood stew with crusty bread for Christmas Eve or as part of your Feast of the Seven Fishes menu.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: DINNER | SOUP
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: Feast of Seven Fishes, ITALIAN | AMERICAN
- Diet: Pescatarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the broth:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand with their juices
- 3 cups low-sodium seafood stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the seafood:
- 1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed, weighed with shells
- 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded, weighed with shells
- 1 pound skinless cod, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ pound cleaned raw calamari, tubes cut into ½-inch rings and tentacles left whole
For finishing and serving:
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- Lemon wedges
- Crusty bread, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the seafood. Scrub the clams and mussels under cold running water and remove the mussel beards. Discard cracked or broken shells and any live shellfish that remain open when tapped. Pat the cod, shrimp, and calamari dry. Keep the seafood refrigerated in separate bowls until needed.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy 7- to 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel and cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Build the broth. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, seafood stock, bay leaf, oregano, and black pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Cook the shellfish. Add the clams, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the mussels, cover again, and simmer for approximately 4–7 minutes more, checking frequently. Transfer shellfish to a clean bowl as they open and their meat becomes firm and opaque. Cover loosely to keep warm. Allow slower-opening clams additional time as needed; discard any shells that remain closed after cooking.
- Cook the remaining seafood. Return the broth to a gentle simmer. Add the cod and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the calamari and simmer for approximately 2–3 minutes more, until the seafood is cooked through. Fish should reach 145°F and flake easily; shrimp and calamari should be firm and opaque. Check for 145°F where practical. Cooking time varies with seafood size and temperature. Avoid vigorous stirring.
- Finish the stew. Return the clams, mussels, and any collected juices to the pot. Gently spoon broth over the seafood and heat briefly until hot. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Serve. Divide the seafood among warm bowls and ladle the broth over it. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Make ahead: Prepare the broth through step 3 up to 2 days ahead. Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate. Bring back to a simmer before adding the seafood.
- Wine substitute: Replace the wine with 1 cup additional seafood stock and adjust the lemon juice to taste before serving.
- Fish substitutions: Use halibut or haddock in place of cod.
- Fennel substitute: Use 2 finely diced celery stalks.
- Frozen seafood: Thaw raw shrimp, fish, and calamari in the refrigerator according to package instructions, then pat dry. Follow package cooking directions for frozen clams and mussels, which may already be cooked.
- Salt: Season at the end because the stock and shellfish contribute salt.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat to 165°F. Seafood is most tender when freshly cooked.
- Seven Fishes menu: This recipe contains five seafood varieties. Serve additional seafood dishes alongside it if you want seven varieties across your meal.
Find it online: https://www.firsthomelovelife.com/zuppa-di-pesce/