Brodetto Vastese all'Abruzzese

Ingredients

• For the saffron infusion
• 1 generous pinch saffron, steeped in 2 tbsp warm white wine vinegar before use
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, warm, used to infuse the saffron
• For the base
• 1 large white onion, finely sliced
• 2 large sweet red peppers, Corno di bue or Ramiro; cored, deseeded, sliced into strips
• 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 60 ml white wine vinegar, additional, added to the base with the saffron infusion
• For the fish
• 400 g monkfish, cut into large bone-in sections
• 400 g scorpionfish (scorfano), cleaned and cut through the bone
• 300 g razor clams, scrubbed
• 300 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• To serve
• 4 slices fette biscottate or grilled Abruzzo country bread

Method

1. 1
   Steep the saffron in 2 tbsp of warm white wine vinegar in a small bowl. Leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes. The liquid will deepen to a vivid amber; this is the signature of the Vastese base and must be fully coloured before it is used.
2. 2
   Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over a medium-low flame. Add the sliced onion and the strips of sweet red pepper. Cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring only to prevent sticking, until the onion is completely soft and the pepper has collapsed and sweetened. The pan should smell fruity and faintly caramelised, with no raw-onion sharpness remaining.
3. 3
   Pour in the saffron-vinegar infusion and the additional 60 ml of white wine vinegar. Raise the heat briefly to let the acid volatilise, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for a further 5 minutes. The base must become dense and cohesive — saucy, not liquid. If it remains too thin, continue to reduce before any fish is added. This is where the dish lives or dies: a loose base will not perfume or support the fish; a dense, fragrant base is the architecture of the brodetto.
4. 4
   Lay the monkfish and scorpionfish sections across the base in a single layer. Do not stir. Cover the pan and cook over a moderate flame for 15 minutes. The fish is ready when the flesh at the thickest point is just opaque when gently parted with a spoon.
5. 5
   Nestle the razor clams and mussels between the pieces of fish. Cover and cook for 4 minutes. The shellfish are ready when every shell has opened fully. Discard any that remain shut.
6. 6
   Remove the pan from the heat and allow to rest, covered, for 2 minutes. Ladle into wide bowls, distributing the sauce evenly. Place a slice of fette biscottate or grilled country bread alongside, to receive the broth.