Fish Stew
Simple and flavourful, this stew is a timeless dish created by Italian fishermen while at sea.
Steak Oregano
As seen in Stanley Tucci's film Big Night, discover how to recreate big-screen flavours from the man himself.
Chicken Cacciatore
"Each Italian family seems to have its own variation on this classic dish,” says Stanley Tucci. This version hails from his mother’s side of the family.
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large shallot, finely diced
1 to 2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 dried pepperoncini
Pinch of saffron
¾ cup dry white wine
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 fresh basil leaves
4 cups Fish stock, hot
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 scallops
10 ounces cod, cut into 3-inch cubes
10 ounces grouper, cut into 3-inch cubes
12 clams
12 mussels
12 large shrimp, tails left on
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Toasted baguette, for serving
Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, shallot, garlic, pepperoncini, and saffron and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the white wine, raise the heat to high, and cook until the alcohol has burned off.
Lower the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes more.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the stock. Stir the mixture together and bring to a low bubble. (If you worry that the fish stock is too fishy, you can add some chicken broth.) Add the scallops, cod, and grouper to the pot and simmer, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes. Do not stir. Then add the clams and mussels and cover the pot again. Once they begin to open, add the shrimp. Simmer until the shrimp turn pink.Add the parsley and serve immediately with some of the toasted baguette drizzled with a touch of extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe from The Tucci Table, by Stanley Tucci and Felicity Blunt, with Kay Plunkett-Hogge (Gallery Books, 2014)
INGREDIENTS:
1 top round beef steak (2 ½ to 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry red wine
½ teaspoon dried oregano
PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:
The steak should be ½ inch thick. If necessary, pound it between two sheets of waxed paper to achieve this thickness.
Warm the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. When the butter is foaming rapidly, add the steak and fry to brown on one side, about 3 minutes. (If the steak is larger than your sauté pan, cut it in half). Turn, and season with salt and pepper. Brown the other side, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan to a warm platter and set aside.
Add the wine and oregano to the pan, scraping up any meat that may have stuck to the bottom. Simmer to sweeten the wine, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, cut the meat into six equal portions. When the wine sauce is ready, pour it over the meat and serve immediately.
Wine Pairing: Medium red and full red
Recipe from The Tucci Cookbook, by Stanley Tucci with Joan and Stan Tucci, Gianni Scappin and Mimi Taft (Gallery Books, 2012)
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup olive oil
2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch wide strips
½ pound mushrooms, cut into ¼ -inch-thick slices
One 3-pound free-range chicken, cut into serving-size pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 ½ cups coarsely chopped onions (about 2 medium-size onions)
1 cup canned whole plum tomatoes or your own favorite marinara sauce
PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Add the peppers and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Stir the mushrooms into the pan and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and brown lightly on both sides, about 15 minutes in all. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter and set aside. Pour the wine into the pan stir to incorporate any cooking juices. Add the garlic and onions and cook until the onions are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, crushing them with your hand or the back of a slotted spoon as you add them to the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Stir the peppers and mushrooms into the chicken. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook to blend in the flavor of these ingredients, about 10 minutes. The cacciatore may be set aside at this point for several hours before reheating and serving with bread to dip into the sauce.
Wine Pairing: Medium white and light red
Recipe from The Tucci Cookbook, by Stanley Tucci with Joan and Stan Tucci, Gianni Scappin and Mimi Taft (Gallery Books, 2012)