Any fish or shellfish is delicious in this Italian fisherman's stew. Make the bubbling tomato mixture and add whatever is tasty and fresh from the sea. Serve with polenta mash to soak up the juices.
Italian clam stew with asparagus Use 3 onions, chopped, and omit the leek. In Step 2, omit the stock. Replace the seafood with 1 kg clams in their shells. Add them to the mixture, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for about 2 minutes. Add 1 bunch asparagus spears, cut into bite-sized pieces, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until all the clams have opened (discard any that remain shut) and the asparagus is just tender. Serve with the polenta mash.
If your supermarket doesn't stock dried herbes de Provence, use a mixture of dried thyme and rosemary. * You can substitute celery for the fennel. Use 2 stalks and add in Step 1 with a pinch of crushed fennel seeds.