Classic Cioppino (San Francisco-Style Seafood Stew)
Classic Cioppino (San Francisco-Style Seafood Stew)
Course: Main, DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: MediumServings
6
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
1
hour30
minutesTotal time
1
hour10
minutesIngredients
1 lb. firm white fish fillets cod, halibut, haddock are all good choices
1 lb. extra-large shrimp peeled and deveined
12 small hard-shell clams in shell
12 mussels in shell
2 lbs. fresh steamed crab legs
1 lb. bay scallops
1/2 red bell pepper cored, seeded, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup celery chopped
1/4 flat-leaf parsley chopped
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes San Marzano are excellent, with juice
2 8 oz bottles clam juice
1 cup dry white wine Sauvignon blanc is good
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake
1/2 tsp salt more to taste
Juice of 1 lemon about 2 teaspoons
Directions
- Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add butter and let melt. Add onions, garlic, bell pepper, celery and parsley. Stir and cook until soft, about 8 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, breaking up with hands and add juice from can.
- Stir in lam juice, wine, bay leaf, basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes and salt. Bring to just a boil, reduce heat to simmer and let cook for 1 hour.
- Scrub clams and mussels with a small stiff brush under cold running water; remove beards from mussels. Discard any open clams or mussels. Let cold water run over shells for 5 minutes.
- Add clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, and fish fillets to sauce. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 7 – 8 minutes, until the clams and mussels open. Discard any shells that have not opened.
- Add crab legs and steam until heated through, another 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasonings if needed.
- Ladle sauce and seafood into large bowls and serve with toasted bread.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you do not use up stock, cover and store it in refrigerator for up to 2 days. When serving, bring it back to a boil for 20 minutes, lower heat, and progress with the recipe.
