Italian Seafood Stew

Italian Seafood Stew is adapted from Mario Batali’s Lifeguard Stew, which I first sampled on a trip to Turks and Caicos. One of my sister’s friends whipped this up for lunch in just 20 minutes.

Italian Seafood Stew is a quick seafood recipe using couscous, tomatoes, currants and caper berries. This Italian stew comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish! #italianseafoodstew #italianstew www.savoryexperiments.com


 

Italian Seafood Stew is a quick seafood recipe using couscous, tomatoes, currants and caper berries. This Italian stew comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish!

Two unexpected ingredients give this quick meal interest and sophistication: caper berries and currants. Pops of brine and salt with sweet and chewy.

Caper berries are the mature buds of the caper bush. Capers (the small ones) are harvested as the bud, before it flowers and then turns into a berry. Which is why in recipes like my Lemon Caper Salmon, frying the capers will create a crispy, floral bloom.

This Italian Seafood Stew is adapted from Mario Batali. In my version, I increased the amount of both caper berries and currants as well as the pine nuts and garlic… because I love garlic.

20 Minute Italian Seafood Stew Recipe- this seafood pasta is a classic Italian recipe made by fisherman’s wives using a variety of seafood making a small amount go a long way. Similar to cioppino, this recipe uses couscous for a satisfying and easy meal. www.savoryexperiments.com

Israeli couscous, also known as pearl couscous, adds a hearty and robust base. Seafood can be substituted for whatever you have on hand or go without it for a pleasing vegetarian dish.

I used calamari and langostinos (squat lobster), but while on vacation it was wonderful with diver scallops. You could even cut up pieces of fish like cod or halibut. Interestingly enough, langoinstos was also the original seafood used for scampi dishes.

This recipe for Italian Seafood Stew can make a small amount of seafood go a long way. Shellfish, such as clams, mussels and oysters can also be used for a cioppino-like dish.

Stir up these fabulous ingredients in a casserole pot or Dutch oven and go to town! Some stores even sell a frozen seafood variety pack, which is perfect for this dish!

Italian Seafood Stew is a quick seafood recipe using couscous, tomatoes, currants and caper berries. This Italian stew comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish! #italianseafoodstew #italianstew www.savoryexperiments.com

And the most important element, next to flavor of course, is ease. Italian Seafood Stew only takes 20 minutes to put together from start to finish. Now that is impressive!

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Italian Seafood Stew is a quick seafood recipe using couscous, tomatoes, currants and caper berries. This Italian stew comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish! #italianseafoodstew #italianstew www.savoryexperiments.com
20 Minute Italian Seafood Stew Recipe- this seafood pasta is a classic Italian recipe made by fisherman’s wives using a variety of seafood making a small amount go a long way. Similar to cioppino, this recipe uses couscous for a satisfying and easy meal. www.savoryexperiments.com

Italian Seafood Stew Recipe

5 from 4 votes
Italian Seafood Stew is a quick seafood recipe using couscous, tomatoes, currants and caper berries. This Italian stew comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish! 
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fill a medium sauce pan half way with water, salt with 1 tablespoon Kosher salt and bring to a boil.
  • Boil Israeli couscous for 2 minutes, stirring to prevent clumps. Drain and then submerge in ice water to cool and stop cooking process. When cooled, drain again and set aside.
  • In a Dutch oven or large sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts, onion, garlic, currants and dried red pepper flakes, saute for 2 minutes, or until vegetables have started to soften.
  • Add white wine and tomato sauce, bringing to a simmer. Add couscous, increasing heat to a low boil.
  • Lastly, add seafood and caper berries, cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes or until seafood is just cooked.
  • Serve immediately, garnishing with Maldon sea salt, extra virgin olive oil and scallions, if desired.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe come back and let us know how it was! 

Video

Notes

* Thinly sliced is faster and will have a milder garlic flavor, while mincing will produce more garlicky taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 574 kcal, Carbohydrates: 56 g, Protein: 33 g, Fat: 22 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 285 mg, Sodium: 3913 mg, Potassium: 832 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 16 g, Vitamin A: 1155 IU, Vitamin C: 16.2 mg, Calcium: 227 mg, Iron: 6.1 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 574
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: italian seafood stew, italian stew
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

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