Italian Seafood
/You could be forgiven for thinking of pizza and pasta when you think of Italian food. However, with more than 4,700 miles of coastline on the Adriatic, Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, seafood plays a prominent roll on the Italian table. Seafood is even more ubiquitous during the 40 days of Lent. Italian fishermen work the seas from the Ligurian Coast, the island of Sicily, around the heel of Puglia and to the lagoons of Venice, filling the markets with an abundance of fish and shellfish.
Vernazza harbor in the Cinque Terre in Liguria
Roman Catholics comprise 78% of Italy’s population and many avoid meat during lent, especially on Friday. Many Italian Catholics avoid meat on Friday throughout the year. While seafood is popular any time of year, from Ash Wednesday until Easter, seafood takes the main stage.
Gathering in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
The different dishes and the styles of preparation are usually regional in character, but true to Italian cuisine, not complicated or fussy. Simple recipes with quality ingredients are the key.
In Liguria, whole roasted Branzino is popular (whole fish is more common for the Italian home cook than filets) and in Venice (and at M’tucci’s Italian & M’tucci’s Twenty-Five) you’ll find seafood risotto.
Along the coast of Tuscany by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the port town of Livorno is home to many simple, unassuming seafood restaurants, serving only seafood, crudo (raw) or cotto (cooked). Sunday dinner wouldn’t be a proper dinner without a plate of seafood crudo to start - essentially Italian sushi.
Further south in Campania, which includes Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, pizza was invented as food for the men who went to sea, with one of the classic pizza Napoletana choices being marinara (sailor in Italian). Pasta with clams (spaghetti alle vongole) and mixed seafood and whole fish or fish steaks are simmered/poached to create fish poached in crazy water (pesce all’acqua pazza).
On Italy’s east coast with the Adriatic, in Puglia the port of Bari is known for fresh sea urchins and mussels. The mussels are so succulent, that a simple broth for steaming is all that is necessary. Don’t miss the Fresh Maine Mussels appetizer at M’tucci’s Italian tonight.
We receive fresh seafood several times a week, and buy sustainably-wild-caught fish and shellfish when we can. All three M’tucci’s locations and M’tuccis @ Lava Rock Brewing offer Calamari Fritti with spicy marinara and garlic aioli dipping sauces. Each restaurant has created a different way to prepare fresh Atlantic Salmon. M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno have a rotating weekend special of pan-seared seafood (scroll down for this week’s specials). We create specials based on what our seafood purveyors have fresh. In the past we have served swordfish, branzino, mahi-mahi, scallops, Hawaiian Ono and Yellowtail tuna.
I love the Shrimp Campanelle and the Frutti di Mare (fresh mussels, white clams, bay scallops and shrimp in a tomato sauce over fettucine) at Moderno and the Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at Italian and Twenty-Five (both have slightly different preparations - try both!). The new Lobster Ravioli at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will make you swoon and protect your plate from your dining companions. The Calamari Fritti at M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company goes well with the Birra di M’tucci’s Italian lager.
NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S
M’tucci’s Italian
Weekend Specials
Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut T-Bone, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Balsamic Reduction
Pan-Seared Seafood - California Halibut, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Lemon Caper Buerre Blanc
Ravioli - Lemon Basil Red Chile Three Cheese Ravioli, Sautéed Asparagus, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Caramelized Onion, Light Lemon Cream Sauce w/Arugula
Braise - Wild Mushroom, San Marzano Tomato, Harris Ranch Beef Ragu, House Pappardelle Pasta
Appetizer - Maine Mussels, Saffron Dijon Sauce, Baguette
M’tucci’s Moderno
Weekend Specials
Flat iron Steak - Prepared with garlic mash potatoes, Grilled asparagus, and an Italian salsa verde $27
Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon - Sweet-tobacco and currant aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Harmonious and perfect for steak. $8/$38
Shrimp & Lobster Pasta - Prepared with asparagus, grape tomatoes, lobster cream sauce, and spaghettini pasta $27
Imagery Pinot Noir - This wine is smooth, soft, and lovely. It's medium-bodied, ripe, has juicy fruit, red licorice, and cola flavors. $11/42
Icelandic Cod - Prepared with sautéed arugula, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, caper lemon butter sauce, and finished with a smoked prosciutto powder - $21
Glass Mountain Chardonnay - This wine features flavors of golden apples, crushed almonds and mineral highlights, Aromas of pineapple, apricot and toasty oak enhance the vanilla and butterscotch flavors. $7/$28
VOTE FOR M’TUCCI’S MODERNO TODAY!!
Click here to vote for M’tucci’s Moderno for the Best of Rio Rancho. Please vote for us in the following categories: Best Italian, Best Waitstaff, Best Appetizer Menu, Best Date Night Restaurant, Best Dessert, Best Lunch Spot, Best Bartender (Tyler or Shelly or Isaac), Best Chef (John Haas), Best Tap Beer Selection, Best Happy Hour - and, of course, Best Pizza!
March Music
Thursdays 7-9
3/12 - Stanlie Kee
3/19 - Oscar Butter
3/26 - Melissa Rios
Friday’s 8-10pm
3/6 - Kirk Matthews
3/13 - Lani Nash
3/20 - Kirk Matthews
3/27 - Leah Leyva
M’tucci’s Catering
Don’t forget to make your bookings for Mother’s Day and Graduation Parties. We offer on-site catering at M’tucci’s Moderno (2 private dining rooms for 35 & 75 guests) and at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five (private dining room for 45 people). We also have a large screen for your presentations when you book the private dining room at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five for your lunch meeting. We can deliver off-site catering to your home for a buffet, dinner party or wedding reception. Click here to see a menu and contact us today!
Personal service for your wedding reception.
M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company
Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30
New beer:
The Vulkanland Vienna lager is a copper to reddish-brown beer with pale chocolate and Vienna malts. It’s balanced with aromas and flavors of sweet malt and floral hops. Low hop additions allow the German malts to truly shine though, making this darker lager a quaffable beer to drink any time of the year. 5.5% ABV and 24 IBU’s.
Daily Specials
Sunday - Happy Hour all Day
Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10
Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers
Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8
Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour
2020 Lunch Special
Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??
Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.
Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00
3/6: Hat Trick
3/12: RJ Perez
3/13: Kirk Matthews
3/19: Amy Cliser
3/20: Lea Leyva
3/26: Austin Van
3/27: GB Duo
See you next week. Ciao!
