Cacciucco Livornese — Tuscany's Fiery Five-Fish Stew

Soak the clams in cold salted water for 30 minutes to purge grit. Scrub mussels and remove the beards; discard any that do not close when tapped. Pat the octopus and cuttlefish dry with paper towels.

Heat 60 ml of the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot (at least 5-litre capacity) over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, sage, and chili flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until the onion is completely soft and translucent — do not rush or colour this.

Add the 4 sliced garlic cloves and cook 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the octopus and cuttlefish pieces and stir to coat with the soffritto. Cook 5 minutes until they firm up and any released liquid has evaporated.

Increase heat to high and pour in the red wine. Let it boil hard for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the sharp alcohol smell has completely gone and the liquid has reduced by about half. This step builds the stew's colour and body — do not shortcut it.

Add the crushed tomatoes and fish stock. Season generously with salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

Add the monkfish and gurnard chunks, nestling them into the stew. Cover and cook a further 15 minutes until the fish is just cooked through but not falling apart.

Drain the clams. Add the mussels and clams to the pot, cover, and cook 8–10 minutes until all shells have opened. Discard any that remain shut after 10 minutes.

While the shellfish cook, toast the bread slices in a dry pan or under a grill until completely dry and golden on both sides. While still hot, rub each slice firmly with a whole garlic clove — the rough surface of the hot toast grates the garlic directly into the bread.

Place one garlic-rubbed toast in the bottom of each wide, shallow bowl. Ladle the stew over the bread, distributing all five seafood varieties across the bowls. Scatter the chopped parsley and drizzle with the remaining 20 ml olive oil. Serve immediately — the shellfish continue to cook and turn rubbery if left to wait.