Best Shellfish Stew Alla Tarantina

This is a Southern Italian seafood feast from the port city of Taranto: a single pot brimming with mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, and oysters in a garlicky tomato-and-wine broth.

The secret to a shellfish stew that isn’t a rubbery mess is timing. Each kind of seafood cooks at a different rate, so they go in by stages, the clams, mussels, and shrimp first (covered until the shells open), then quick-cooking calamari, and finally the delicate oysters, simmered just until their edges tighten.

That staggered approach means everything finishes tender at the same moment, rather than some pieces turning to rubber while others catch up.

Build the broth first by softening onion, peppers, and thyme, then adding wine and tomato. Ladle the whole thing over thick slices of bread in each bowl, the way it’s traditionally served, so the bread drinks up that briny, savory broth.

Chef Tips

• Add the seafood in stages by cooking time so nothing turns rubbery.
• Scrub and debeard the mussels, and discard any clams or mussels that don’t open after cooking.
• Cook the calamari only briefly; two minutes keeps it tender, longer turns it chewy.
• Serve over thick bread to soak up the broth, the traditional way.

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy Puglian kick.
• Stir in chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon just before serving.
• Use whatever shellfish is freshest; scallops or crab work well too.