I honestly and truly don't really know the difference content-wise between a cacciucco and a cioppino. Just that the former is a dish of Livorno, and the latter a Mediterranean seafood stew first invented in San Francisco.
Mine included 2 kinds of fish - black bass and perch, clams, mussels, and calamari. The soup base is fish stock and sofrito.
To make the fish stock - Sweat aromatic vegetables in a stock pot. I used carrots, onions, celery, leeks and fennel. Add the bones from the fish that you will use in the stew. Sweat some more. Add about 1-2 cups dry white wine. Let the raw alcohol cook out of the wine. Cover the whole thing with water by an inch or 2. Throw in parsley stems, thyme, 2-3 bay leaves, and a few black peppercorns. Let simmer for about an hour, skimming the foamy gunk off the top with a ladle every few minutes. Strain twice - first time though a colander, then through a fine mesh or chinois.
For the sofrito - Mince carrot, onion and celery in the food processor until very small pieces. Simmer these in a pan covered with extra virgin olive oil for about 15-20 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and continue to simmer for another 45 minutes to an hour, until the mixture looks well-cooked. There should be a definite layer of olive oil on the top. You can skim this oil off and reserve for another use later.
Pour the fish stock into the sofrito slowly until it is the flavor/consistency you want. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. You just made a brodetto.
To complete the stew, ladle a nice amount of brodetto into a pan. Heat to a boil. Add the seafood one at a time, starting with the ingredient that requires the longest cook time. I went with clams first, because they take a long time to open. When the clams start to open, add the mussels. When the mussels start to open, add the fish (cut into small, bite-sized pieces). About a minute later add the calamari. Only let the calamari cook for about a minute.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
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