It’s time to make things easier.With the end of the holiday, we officially enter the bowl food season.A sumptuous and hearty holiday dinner-including cocktails and multi-course dishes, ribs and roasts, sauces and reductions-will require a New Year’s pause, replaced by steaming bowls full of warm and nutritious soups and stews .Although the pleasure of adding meat to the bowl is of course welcome, the lightness of seafood is a refreshing choice.It’s time for a cup of cioppino.
Cioppino (chuh-PEE-noh) is a seafood stew in San Francisco. It originated in the 1800s when Italian and Portuguese fishermen chopped up the leftovers they caught daily to make a rich tomato soup.Its name comes from the Italian ciuppin, which means to chop.Wine is a key ingredient in the raw materials of cioppino. Depending on the source, the recipe boldly calls for white or red.I prefer to use red wine, it will increase the fruity flavor and acidity of the broth.
As for fish and shellfish, there are no fixed rules, you can only choose the freshest.Choose a variety of shellfish and seafood, such as clams, mussels, shrimp, and scallops, and use large pieces of firm white fish (such as halibut) to make the soup thicker.Many cioppinos include Dungeness crabs, which are native to the San Francisco Bay area and are abundant in winter.If you have a chance to eat crabs, please buy cracked crab legs or simply buy cleaned meat to splurge.
Unlike many stews that taste better over time, this stew is designed to be eaten immediately to capture the freshness of the fish.My stew followed this rule because I didn’t have time to design beautiful photos before it was swallowed, leaving only the process shots you see here.
Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.Add the onion and fennel and cook until the vegetables are soft, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.Add garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.Add the tomato sauce, cook for about 1 minute, and stir until it becomes a paste.
Add tomatoes, wine, chicken broth, orange juice, bay leaves, salt and black pepper.Bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.If necessary, taste the seasoning and add more salt or sugar.
Add the clams to the pot, close the lid, and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.Add the mussels, cover the pot, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.Discard any unopened clams or mussels.
Add the shrimp and halibut, partially cover the pot, simmer until the fish is done, about 5 minutes.
Scoop the stew into a warm bowl and garnish with parsley.Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread.
Lynda Balslev is a cookbook author, food and travel writer, and cookbook developer in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Post time: Dec-28-2021