Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetable Base
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, diced, reserve fronds for garnish
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 400 g yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
Broth & Aromatics
- 150 ml retsina wine
- 800 ml fish stock
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 g saffron threads
- 1 orange zest, strip
Seafood & Finish
- 500 g white fish fillets, cod, haddock, or halibut, cut into large 5cm chunks
- 250 g squid, cleaned, bodies sliced into rings, tentacles left whole
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 15 g fresh parsley, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 677 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 463 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 221 mg
- Potassium
- 2266 mg
- Calcium
- 138 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 140 mg
- Phosphorus
- 646 mg
- Zinc
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 123 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 60 mg
- Vitamin D
- 15.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 105 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.44 mg
- Niacin
- 5.6 mg
- Folate
- 50 mcg
- Water
- 232 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, and fennel. Sauté gently until softened and translucent but not browned.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Pour in the Retsina wine to deglaze, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, fish stock, potatoes, bay leaf, orange zest strip, and saffron. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife.
Gently nestle the white fish chunks into the broth. Cover and poach for 4 minutes. Do not stir vigorously, or the fish will break apart; shake the pot gently instead.
Add the squid rings and tentacles. Continue to simmer gently for exactly 2 to 3 minutes until the squid turns opaque and the fish is flaky and opaque throughout (internal temperature of fish should reach 63°C/145°F).
Remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf and orange zest strip. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and reserved fennel fronds. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Chef's Notes
- The emulsion of olive oil and tomato broth is key to Kakavia; don't skimp on the oil quantity.
- If you cannot find Retsina, a dry Sauvignon Blanc with a sprig of fresh rosemary added during the simmer will mimic the resinous profile.
- Handle the pot gently once the fish is added. Greek cooks often swirl the pot by the handles rather than stirring with a spoon to keep fish chunks intact.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Reheat very gently to avoid overcooking seafood.
Reheating: Simmer gently on stove until reaching 74°C/165°F.
Troubleshooting
Squid is rubbery and tough
Cause: The squid was cooked for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed easily; removing pieces and slicing them paper-thin can mitigate the texture
Prevention: Add squid at the very last moment; it needs only 2-3 minutes of gentle heat
Cultural Context
Kakavia is the Greek answer to Bouillabaisse, originating from ancient Ionian fishermen who would cook their unsold catch in a communal pot with seawater. While modern versions use stock, the generous use of olive oil and lemon remains a hallmark of this coastal staple.
