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04/15/2001 Archived Entry: "Fish Marechiaro-style"

Marechiaro is a spot in Naples. The word literally means “clear sea” and the spot is – surprise! – facing and bordering the sea. Actually, it is technically not on the open sea, but on il golfo di Napoli, the Gulf of Naples, or Bay of Naples as we more often say in English. Marechiaro is a small section of the greater neighborhood of Posillipo, which is a spit of land, a peninsula that encloses the Gulf on the north. It is the northern edge the city, and some would say the best neighborhood in Naples. In any case, as my friend Maurizio De Rosa, a native Neapolitan, says, “If you live in Posillipo, you’ve arrived. To make this a little more complex, some Neapolitans will also tell you that Marechiaro is not really part of Posillipo, but part of Mergellina (or Margellina, as Neapolitans call it), which is the sea-side section next to Posillipo, and also an excellent, elegant neighborhood.

For culinary purposes, however, there is no difference between Posillipo and Marechiaro. Dishes called by both names almost always are fin fish with clams and mussels in a sauce of tomatoes, garlic, and parsley. Or they could be just clams and/or mussels with tomatoes seasoned with garlic and parsley, which is how Neapolitans always season their seafood.

(If you would like a look at both these beautiful areas – Posillipo and Mergellina, including Marechiaro, check out these views.)

Why all this geography? I am frequently, and for some reason lately more frequently, asked for recipes for clams Posillipo or fish prepared alla Marechiaro. The names are Italian-American inventions, no doubt created by homesick Neapolitans who longed for their favorite dining spots along the sea, eating outdoors, on a terrace, with views of il golfo and Vesuvius in the distance, feeling the salty breezes that whip around Naples’ curved coast, looking at the gardens before them climbing down to the water’s edge ... you get the picture. If not, well, check out those views.

I did an internet search on the word Marechiaro, however, and I find that there are, in the hinterlands of the U.S., many dishes on Italian-American menus that are not seafood but called Marechiaro. The only thing they have in common is that they have some Neapolitan element – roasted red peppers, for instance.

Here’s the recipe for Pesce alla Marechiaro, fish prepared Marechiaro-style, that I devised Saturday night. The choice of fish is up to you. I used cod fillets only because they were available and the best choice at the Greenmarket where I shop for fish on Saturdays.

Pesce alla Marechiaro
(Fish with Clams and Mussels in Tomato Sauce)

Serves 4 or 5

4 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 28-ounce can Italian peeled plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with all their juices
1/8 teaspoon (or more to taste) hot red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 pound Manila clams or New Zealand cockles
1 pound small mussels
1 1/2 pounds fish fillets
2 tablespoons finely cut parsley (see note)

In a large skillet, combine the garlic and olive oil and place over low heat. Cook until the garlic is soft, but not colored.

Add the chopped canned tomatoes and their juice and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the hot red pepper flakes, crushing them between your fingers as you add them. Let simmer 5 to 8 minutes, until the tomato sauce has thickened. Season lightly with salt – the clams and mussels will add more saltiness.

Add the clams and mussels, cover the pan, and let the shellfish steam open over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes.

When the clams and mussels have opened, with a slotted spoon, remove them and place on a large, deep serving platter. (It’s okay if some of the tomatoes come with them.) Cover with foil to keep warm (You could temporarily place the platter in a warm oven.)

Arrange the fish in one layer in the sauce left in the pan. Cover the pan again and, still on medium-high hat, let the fish cook for about 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. If the fillets are thick, you may have to turn them once to cook on both sides, and perhaps let them cook a minute or two longer. If the fillets are thin or small, such as flounder fillets, they may take only about 3 minutes.

Push the mussels and clams to one side of the platter and arrange the fish on the other side. Serve immediately, family style, giving each diner a share of fish, topped with mussels and clams and a little sauce. There will not be much sauce, unless the mussels and clams happen to give off a tremendous amount of liquid. If they do, you may want to reduce the sauce slightly before putting it over the fish and shellfish.