Cioppino (pronounced chuh-PEE-no) is considered San Francisco’s signature dish, and no trip to this West Coast city would be complete without a bowlful. Because of the versatility of the ingredients, there are numerous recipes for it. Cioppino can be prepared with a dozen kinds of fish and shellfish It all depends on the day’s catch of your personal choice. This fish stew first became popular on the docks of San Francisco (now known as Fisherman’s wharf) in the 1930s. Cioppino is thought to be the result of Italian immigrant fishermen adding something from the day’s catch to the communal stew kettle on the wharf. The origin of the work “cioppino” is something of a mystery, and many historians believe that it is Italian-American for “chip in.” It is also believed that the name comes from a Genoese fish stew called cioppin.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch fresh parsley leaves, minced
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans plum tomatoes undrained and cup up [I used fresh,organic tomatoes on-a-vine]
- 2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 1/2 cups dry red or white wine [whichever you prefer][I used red wine]
- 12 small hard-shell clams in shell
- 12 mussels in shell
- 1 1/2 pounds raw extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
- 1 1/2 pounds fish fillets [halibut, cod, or salmon], cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 1/2 cups flaked Dungeness crab meat
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
- In a large soup pot or cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-low heat, melt butter; add onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Add tomatoes, clam juice, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, and red or white wine; bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover, and simmer approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. If sauce becomes too thick, thin with additional wine or water.NOTE: At this point, stock may be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days before using. To use stock that has been refrigerated, reheat to boiling and then reduce heat to low, until broth is simmering gently.
- Scrub clams and mussels with a small stiff brush under cold running water; remove beards from mussels. Discard any open clams or mussels. Cover with cold salted water; let stand 5 minutes and then pour off the salted water.
- Gently stir in the clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, fish fillets, and crab meat to the prepared stock. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams pop open and shrimp are opaque when cut.NOTE: Do not overcook the seafood [the seafood continues to cook after it is removed from the pan]. Remove bay leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from heat and ladle broth and seafood into large soup bowls and serve.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.