San Francisco Cioppino
I tried Cioppino for the first time a few years ago in San Francisco and immediately fell in love with its beautiful and vibrant flavor. If you are not familiar with this dish, it is a simmered tomato sauce thinned with fish stock and packed with fresh seafood. Get ready to transport your taste buds to the fisherman's wharf as you indulge in a bowl of San Francisco Cioppino, brimming with the ocean's goodness.
Ingredients (for approx. 5 - 6 people):
1 pound sea scallops
1 pound clams, scrubbed
1-pound mussels, scrubbed
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound of cod, cut into medium-sized chunks
1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes with their juices
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups fish or seafood stock (I use homemade, but it will work well with the store-bought as well)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp both dried oregano and basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper to taste
3-4 tblsp of Pernod
Lemon slices
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Crusty sourdough bread for serving
How-to:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, minced garlic, and diced bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, white wine, stock, bay leaves, dried oregano and basil, crushed red pepper flakes to the pot, and season with salt and black pepper. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
3. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
4. Once the broth has simmered for a while, add the clams, mussels, and Pernod to the pot. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and fish chunks to the pot. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve the San Francisco Cioppino hot with crusty bread on the side for dipping into the flavorful broth, and you're welcome!
