Posted: 8/31/04 at 10:18AM | IP Logged

Cioppino

I tried my hand at making a cioppino this weekend.  Cioppino's are a Bay Area invention.  It essentially is a tomato-based fish stew.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 medium-sized onion
3 tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cups red wine
1 bell pepper
1 lb manila clams
1 lb bay scallops
1 lb cod
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 crab

In a saucepan, add oil and garlic.  Saute the onions and bell peppers for ~5 minutes.  Add in diced tomatos, tomato paste, and wine.

Separately, steam the clams in ~1.5 quarts of water for 5 minutes, or until the clams open.  Discard any that do not open.  Remove clams.  Add 1 quart of the clam stock to the saucepan.  Add salt, pepper, and parsley to taste (liberally).  Let simmer for 45 minutes.

Place the crab in a separate pot.  Pour contents of the saucepan into the pot with the crab in it.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Add shrimps, cod, scallops, and clams.  Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. 

Serve with bread or over rice.

If you're looking for more of the soup, which was very popular last night, feel free to add all of the clam stock to the mix.