Cioppino
Cioppino is a complex fish stew, native to California. Traditional seasoningsvary from area to area and the fishes used vary with the day's catch. Inaddition, indiviudal cooks often change the ingredients to suit their owntastes. Sompe prefer red wine, some white. Sompe prefer sherry. Many liketo make it with the additon of exotic tidbits such as octopus,s quid, oreel. Or, the fihs may be omitted and only shellfish used. Often dried mushroomsthat have been soaked are included This is a basic recipe..adapt as youplease.
3 pounds seabass, barracuda, halibut, or a bariety of any firm flesh fish.
1 large live Dungeness (hard shell) crab or 1 live lobster.
1 - 1 1/2 lb. fresh jumbo shrimp
1 pint each of clams, oysters, mussels (any or all)
Cut fish into good sized serving pieces. Humanely kill crab or lobster.Crack the crab, remove the top shell, but keep it for making stock. If youuse lobster, rcut tail into pieces and reserve body to make stock. If youuse Eastern lobster, cut the tail into sections and crack claws. Sp[litshrimp shells downt he back and remove tthe black vein. Steam the mollusks,clams, mussels, or oysters in a small amount of water just until they open.Remove the top shells and save the juice.
Now, prepare the sauce:
1 1/2 C chopped onion
1 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, mashed and blended with 1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 C canned tomatoes
juice from the mollusks
2 cups red table wine
2 cups tomato juice
2 cups fish stock made from crab shell or lobster body and fish trimmings
herb bouquet (bay leaf, parsley, basil)
1/2 C minced fresh parsley
Saute the onion and green pepper in olive oil until just soft./ Add allthe rest of the ingredients and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the herb bouquetand taste for seasoinings. Select a large casserole or kettle with a coverand in it arrange in layers all the fish except the mollusks. Pour the sauceover fish and cover pan. Simmer over low heat or in the oven for 20-30 minut`esor until fish is just done. Three minutes before removing from heat, addmollusks.
\Serve in soup bowls, shells and all and sprinkle liberally with mincedparsley. Have plenty of napkins on hand as this is finger food. Serve withhot crusty SOURDOUGH bread and a
robust red wine. Serve alongside a variety of fresh cheese and fruits.
This is the great story I heard about Cioppino ... newly arrived fishermaen'swives from Portugal and Spain would bring their kettles with them when theycame to the piers in San Francisco to greet their husbands. They would passamong the boats unloading their catches, hold out their pans and say --in their best english -- chip in which sounded like chiapeeno. They wouldend up with a variety of fishes and shellfish which they prepared in themediterranean fashion similar to the stew's cousin boullabaise ... thatis why receipes vary depending on the region and family preferences.