Since I was at Fresh Market buying seafood for the fideuá I made yesterday I picked up some extra seafood to make cioppino today.
Cioppino is supposed to have originated in San Francisco by Portuguese and Italian fisherman who would make it with whatever seafood was available. Hearty working people’s food. Now of course you get it in fine restaurants for 30 dollars a bowl. I first had cioppino at a restaurant called the Brigantine in San Diego in the late 70’s. My Uncle Dean took me there, or maybe it was my sister Anne, or maybe both. The Brigantine is still there on Shelter Island Drive.
 |
 |
 |
Here’s the recipe I used.
Cioppino
Enough for 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1 rib celery, chopped
1 onion, diced (about a cup)
14 ounces whole tomatoes
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cups leftover ham and saffron stock from fideuá. (Clam juice or fish stock or chicken stock is fine)
2 cups white wine
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
2 king crab legs
1/2 pound tilapia fillet, cut into bite sized pieces (any firm white fish will do)
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined
12 mussels
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Procedure
In a large pan, melt the butter with the olive oil on medium low heat and saute the celery and onions until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add all the rest of the ingredients except the seafood and fresh parsley. Simmer on low, uncovered, for one hour. Add a splash of water if the sauce gets to thick. Taste for salt, pepper, and red pepper and adjust if needed.
Add the crab, shrimp, and fish, and simmer covered another five minutes.
Add the mussels, cover the pot and simmer for 3 minutes more, or until the mussels open. Discard any mussels that don’t open.
Turn off the heat, and stir in the Italian parsley.
Serve with plenty of sourdough or french bread
I thought this recipe came out too soupy, it wasn’t thick like a stew. Next time I’m going to cut back the wine by half a cup and add 8 ounces of tomato paste.
While the crab legs make it dramatic looking, they are really a mess to eat. I’ll probably use crab meat next time. Maybe with one piece of a crab leg for a fancy garnish.
Leave a Reply