Cioppino

A favorite wholesome seafood stew first made for us by Deanna Christie. This is a great dish for a dinner party; make the base early in the day (it gets better with age). Then, 20 minutes before showtime, reheat and begin adding seafood. Serve with crusty bread and salad for a satisfying meal. About the tomato sauce: if you can get a good cioppino base such as Santa Monica Seafood or Paladini, use that. Otherwise, plain tomato sauce is fine. This is good with just fish for those that have shellfish allergies - make sure your purchased cioppino base and bouillon do not contain clam juice.
The Italian Bouillabaisse.
Yield 8 servings
Ingredients

BROTH
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup butter
1 cup diced onion
2 cups diced celery (approximately 5 stalks)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 head garlic, chopped
10 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped (Romas are best)
1 lemon, juice only
1 bottle (750ml) dry white wine
1 tablespoon fish or vegetable bouillon
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
60 ounces of tomato sauce or cioppino base (see note in introduction)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary

SEAFOOD +
Fresh shellfish and any firm-fleshed fish such as salmon, rockfish, whatever looks good! Shellfish can be previously frozen if fresh is not available. You should have 5-6 pounds total seafood for this recipe.

Suggestions:
1 pound manila clams
1 pound mussels
1 pound skinned halibut, rockfish or salmon (or a combination)
1 pound of scallops or lump crab meat
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp


FINISH
1 small bundle of fresh basil, chopped
1 small bundle fresh parsley, chopped

1 Add olive oil and butter to a 6-8 quart heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onions and cook until they begin to lose color.
2 Add celery and peppers and cook 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, then tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes.
3 Add lemon juice, wine, bouillon and water. Bring to a boil. Add remaining broth ingredients, NOT seafood. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for a minimum of 1 hour; 2 hours are even better. (Can be made up to one day ahead. Refrigerate if made ahead.)
4 Bring back to a boil and add seafood: first, add clams and mussels and cook 8 minutes. Add fish and cook 5 minutes. Add scallops, crab and shrimp last, and cook 3 minutes.
5 Stir in half the fresh basil and parsley, then sprinkle the remaining herbs over top. Serve.
notes
Back to original recipe for Cioppino
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