Along the Adriatic coast of Italy there are many versions of this dish. This one is my version from my region of Abruzzo. It’s not quite a soup and not cooked as a stew — we call it zuppa. Italian fish stock, called brodo, is much lighter than French. By not overworking the ingredients you get a wonderful freshness of flavour.Wine match Oliver’s Taranga Small Batch Fiano 2012, McLaren Vale, SA
When I think of a coastal Italian fish dish and overlay a map of Australia, the region which best matches it for me is the Mediterranean-facing McLaren Vale. Famous for shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache, it’s an increasingly exciting place for late ripening Italian varieties like Vermentino, Fiano, Sangiovese and Nero d’Avola. This means they can withstand the hot summer highs and develop delicate flavours later in the season when it has cooled a little. This almost stew/almost soup packs a flavourful punch and is quite a chunky beast. An accompanying white wine should have the freshness of a fruity, nutty white, whilst also having the medium body and texture to hold its own in the mouth. This small production gem from Oliver’s Taranga does exactly that.
-Dan Coward