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Thursday, November 29, 2012

My Favorite Cioppino Recipe

I've been making this cioppino recipe since the '90s.  Cioppino is a San Franciscan take on an Italian fish stew.  It's a little labor intensive at the first but since it simmers for 40 minutes or more before you put in your fish, you've got plenty of time to make whatever else you want to accompany it...salad, bread etc. We have a great fishmonger (what an archaic word) here where I live, Kathleen's Catch.  She keeps a freezer full of fish that she sells at a discount.  I buy the frozen fish for the mixed fish fillets and then supplement with fresh with the squid, clams and shrimp.  She also makes a great seafood stock.   I got this from Bon Appetit:

Serves 6

1 lb small clams scrubbed
1/4 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup hot water
6 drained oil packed sun dried tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 med. onion chopped
1 tbls. anchovy paste (optional but it adds depth to the dish)
20 fresh basil leaves chopped
1/2 lb fresh squid cut into 1/2 inch rings
2 large garlic cloves minced
1 28oz can Italian plum tomatoes drained and crushed
1 small dried chili pod
3 cups fresh fish stock or 3 cups bottled clam juice
1 loaf Italian bread cut into 1/2" slices
3 tbls. red wine vinegar
2 lbs mixed seafood fillets such as grouper, bass, tuna, snapper cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 lb uncooked, cleaned, deveined shrimp
salt and pepper to taste

Place clams in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover.  Sprinkle with cornmeal.  Chill one hour.  (The clams should expel most of their "debris").  Drain clams and rinse thoroughly.  Place clams in a single layer in a heavy skillet.  Add enough cold water to come 1/4 inch up the side.  Cover and steam clams over high heat until shells open, about 8 minutes.  Discard any that don't open.  Remove clams and cool.  Discard liquid.  Meanwhile, combine 2/3 cup hot water with sun dried tomatoes on a small bowl. Let stand until softened, 15 minutes.  Drain and reserve liquid.  Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy 6 quart pot over medium heat.  Add sun dried tomatoes, anchovy paste,  onion, basil leaves and saute until the onions are a golden brown about 15 minutes.  Increase heat to high and add squid and saute until opaque, about 3 minutes.  Add minced garlic and stir one minute.  Add reserved sun dried tomato liquid and boil until almost no liquid remains, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat and add canned tomatoes and chili and cook until very thick, stirring frequently about 5 minutes.  Add fish stock or clam juice.  Cover and partially and simmer for 40 minutes.  (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Refrigerate stew and clams separately. )

Add vinegar to the stew and bring to a simmer.  Add fish and shrimp to the stew and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add clams and stir until heated through.  Ladle stew and serve with bread. Cioppino




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