Fish in "crazy water"

This is a super simple, light and fresh stew from Venice. The Venetian word "acquapazza" means "crazy water," as the stew is loaded with a myriad of contrasting and strong flavours, including capers, olives, chiles, herbs, and garlic. Traditional Italian cuisine is often dependent on a single (or two) flavouring agent, such as a spice or herb. Here, the mix of these intense flavours led the folks to call the chef crazy!

I had this dish for the first time in Venice about 3 years ago in a small restaurant. The narrow streets, canals, and slowly passing gondolas made the dinner special, but I clearly remember the bright, fresh flavours of the dish.

The first bite tantalises your palate, and your mind jumps to how fresh and delicate this stew is. A light, barely cooked tomato broth filled with the strong-flavoured herbs and spices delicately flavours the just-cooked fish. The dish relies on fresh and high-quality ingredients, so please use exceptionally flavorful tomatoes and fresh fish.

This is one of those cookbooks that hides on my shelf, a common problem with having a library of cookbooks. It is a beautiful cookbook filled with wonderful Venetian recipes. I had the opportunity to experience the excellent cuisine of this beautiful city firsthand. The locals are proud of it and always claim that their cuisine is the best in Italy. But we also heard that phrase repeated in Florence and Rome! You will see me cook more from here soon.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2-3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1-2 red chillies, finely sliced into circles

2-3 tomatoes from a can, without skin, finely minced to almost a purée, San Marzano DOP preferred

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Sea salt, to taste

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup water

4 tablespoons capers

20 green olives, halved

A small handful of parsley, sliced into ribbons + some for garnish

A small handful of basil, sliced into ribbons + some for garnish

About 25 cherry tomatoes, halved or left whole if very small

1 1/2 lb whole fish or fillets of red snapper, sea bass, tilapia or any white fish

Heat the oil on a low flame in a deep, very wide frying pan. Add the garlic, red chillies, pepper and salt and sauté for 1 minute till the garlic is cooked but not browned.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened. Add the wine, capers, olives, parsley and basil and bring to a simmer. Mix the sauce well to combine all the ingredients. Taste the sauce and adjust salt, herbs and spices.

Add the fish in a single layer in the pan, gently pressing it into the liquids. Simmer with a lid for 5-7 minutes so the fish is just cooked. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the stew seems dry. You want the fish to look fresh and not "boiled".

Turn off the flame and add the cherry tomatoes. Shut the lid and let it sit for 2-3 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to cook in the residual heat. They should be firm and just blanched when the dish is served.

This dish is best served immediately with a light bread, I made a semolina-olive oil loaf.