Julia Busuttil Nishimura's seafood all'acqua pazza

Name: Julia Busuttil Nishimura's seafood all'acqua pazza
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 60ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle; 1 small fennel bulb, halved, core removed and thinly sliced, fronds reserved; 3 flat-leaf parsley stalks; ½ tsp dried chilli flakes; sea salt; 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 300g cherry tomatoes, halved; 3 sprigs marjoram or oregano; 200ml dry white wine; 250ml water; 350g mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded; 350g whole king prawns; 250g calamari, cleaned and cut into 1cm rings; 350g snapper fillets, skin on, pin boned, cut into 5cm pieces; large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; grilled sourdough bread or cooked fregola* (optional), to serve

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

February 4, 2022

Seafood all'acqua pazza (cooked in "crazy water").William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

Fish cooked in "crazy water" is one of my favourite dishes, especially during the warmer months since it's quick to make, which means less time at the stove (and more time outside). You're also rewarded with a beautifully aromatic broth and perfectly cooked fish without too much effort. The seafood doesn't require much cooking, so stay close to the pan. I like to serve this with some cooked fregola* which soaks up all the brothy goodness. Grilled sourdough also works well.

Ingredients

60ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 small fennel bulb, halved, core removed and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
3 flat-leaf parsley stalks
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
sea salt
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
300g cherry tomatoes, halved
3 sprigs marjoram or oregano
200ml dry white wine
250ml water
350g mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
350g whole king prawns
250g calamari, cleaned and cut into 1cm rings
350g snapper fillets, skin on, pin boned, cut into 5cm pieces
large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
grilled sourdough bread or cooked fregola* (optional), to serve

Method

1. Warm the oil in a large, deep, lidded frying pan over a medium heat. Gently fry the fennel with the parsley stalks, chilli and a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the fennel has softened. Add the garlic, tomatoes, marjoram or oregano and cook until the tomatoes have collapsed and the garlic is soft, about 3-4 minutes. Increase the heat to high and pour in the wine, letting it simmer for a minute. Add the water. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly reduced.
2. Nestle in the mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes. Add the prawns and calamari and cook for a further minute. Gently add the snapper and cook for 2-3 more minutes or until the seafood is cooked and the mussels are open (discard any that remain closed).
3. Scatter with the chopped parsley and reserved fennel fronds. Serve with plenty of grilled bread drizzled with olive oil, and the cooked fregola, spooned into the bottom of each bowl, if using.
Tip: While I often cook a whole snapper this way, I also love poaching a mixture of seafood: here, I've used mussels, prawns, calamari and snapper fillets, but feel free to use whatever seafood you prefer. Other fish, such as John Dory or sea bream, can be used instead of the snapper.
*a small Sardinian semolina pasta rolled by hand and toasted.