Brodet is an aromatic seafood stew cooked by fishermen in the Croatian regions of Dalmatia, Kvarner and Istria and made from part of their catch and ingredients available locally such as olive oil, wine, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. As it made from small fish with no commercial value or those damaged by the nets, it often contains several different kinds of fish but the most popular are scorpion, monkfish, seabass and eel. Traditionally, fishermen cook it over an open fire adding ample vinegar to the pot to preserve the stew for a couple of days.

Although the Croatian Adriatic is a relatively small area of the world, there are many variations of this dish and each tells a story about the area and its history. Brodet in the south in the Dubrovnik region is often prepared with grouper, whereas near the river Neretva it is generally prepared with eels and frogs with lots of locally grown chilli peppers. On the island of Vis, beans are added and the main fish is conger. Areas more centrally located such as Split prepare it with squid, cuttlefish and octopus.

I’m using fresh mussels from Loch Fyne in Scotland, prawns and seabass from the Adriatic. I’ve added Florence Fennel (yes it’s really called that) which is grown for its thick, crunchy bulbous base and is refreshing and slightly sweet. The broth is made from wine, tomato puree, parsley, bay leaf and fennel tops and served with a rustic San Francisco sourdough to mop up the wonderful juices, just perfect.