List of Ingredients
- 2 LB. 3 OZ. of gurnard
- 2 LB. 3 OZ. of mussels, cleaned
- 2 LB. 3 OZ. of clams, purged
- 11 OZ. of sea bass fillets
- 7 OZ. of tomato paste
- 8 of king prawns
- 8 of scampi (langoustine)
- 8 of mantis shrimp
- 8 of cuttlefish, cleaned
- 2 of garlic cloves
- shallot
- rustic bread (any crusty bread)
- white vinegar
- all-purpose flour
- vegetable broth
- bay leaves
- parsley
- dry white wine
- extra-virgin olive oil
Method
Clean and gut the gurnard, fillet it and keep the head. Remove any bones in the fillets with a fish bone tweezer. Cut the sea bass and gurnard fillets into large slices.
Using kitchen scissors, cut the tails and the side of the shells of the mantis shrimp eliminating any sharp edges. Shell the 4 scampi, 4 mantis shrimp and 4 king prawns, reserving the heads.
Dilute the tomato paste with 1/2 cup vinegar, stirring well to obtain a smooth sauce. Chop the garlic cloves and one shallot and sauté with a bay leaf and 4 Tbsp. oil in a large saucepan. After 2-3 minutes add around 1/2 cup wine and let evaporate, then add the diluted tomato paste. Add 1 1/2 qt. hot vegetable broth, followed by the heads and shells previously set aside, along with the head of the gurnard and a few sprigs of parsley; cook over high heat for 5 minutes, then lower the flame and continue to cook for 20 minutes. Filter the broth through a conical strainer, mashing it with a spoon.
Flour the sea bass and gurnard slices and brown in a pan with a little bit of oil for 1-2 minutes per side. Add salt at the end. Return the soup to the stove over low heat. Add the fish slices, the cuttlefish and the rest of the shellfish. After around 6-7 minutes, add the mussels and clams and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve the brodetto with toasted bread.