Cioppino
The word cioppino is in the Ligurian dialect “ciuppin” and means “chopped, torn to pieces”. This unfussy soup was consumed by mariners and port workers in taverns and inns around the Ligurian harbors.
Equipment
- mini prep, large soup pot
Ingredients
Cioppino Ingredient
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8-10 anchovies - canned or bottled oil cured, diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic - sliced thinly
- 2 bay leafs
- ½ cup celery - diced
- 1 medium to large onion - diced
- 1 roasted red bell pepper - burnt skin removed, diced
- 1 cup good red wine
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 qt homemade fish or shrimp stock - Can be found frozen in most fish markets or super markets.
- 2 cups homemade tomato sauce - See my tomato sauce recipe.
- ½ cup fresh basil - chopped or 2-3 tablespoon dried (can be added to seasoning mix if dried). I prefer fresh.
- dash or two Tabasco
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup fresh Italian Parsley - coarsley chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Seasoning Mix
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black or mixed whole pepper
- 2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh or dried rosemary leaves
- 2-3 tablespoon dried basil - Only If you are not using fresh. Do not add fresh to this mix.
Seafood (Just about everything works in Cioppino, but here is my recommendation)
- ½ lb medium shrimp - You can use the shells for making seafood stock.
- ½ lb scallops
- 24 fresh mussels
- 1 lb firm white fish - chopped in 1 inch pieces. I use halibut, but cod, catfish, orange roughy, etc. will work as well
- 16 fresh clams - optional
- fresh or canned oysters can be added - if you like... I like.
Instructions
Spice Mix
- Grind these dred ingredients together in a mini-prep or a herb designated coffee grinder.
Cioppino
- Heat olive oil to medium and add the anchovies.
- After about 3 minutes add the garlic and let cook for less than a minute, until it becomes fragrant.
- Add bay leaf, onions, celery and bell pepper plus ½ of the seasoning mix. Sauté for 6-8 minutes.
- Add wine, vinegar, Tabasco and Worcestershire and reduce by ½.
- Add tomato sauce, the fish stock, basil (if using fresh) and the rest of the seasoning mix. Simmer about 5 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice.
- Add the fish and shellfish, cover and cook about 7 minutes. Remove any of the mussels and clams that don't open.
- Plate and sprinkle the completed Italian fish stew with parsley.
- Serve with the grilled garlic bread.
Notes
Rob's Little Secret: I prep and portion out everything in advance so when it is time to make the dish, I can just add things at will. There's no time for measuring when your hungry guests are waiting.
