Christmas Eve is one week from today…Yikes! Cioppino is a must for many families during the Holidays. This one comes from the Putah Creek Cafe in Winters. It’s expensive, time consuming and a lot of work, but if you want to show your friends and family a lot of love on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, have a big pot of this on the stove. Cin Cin! San Francisco Style Cioppino Cioppino Tomato Base:1/4 cup olive oil1 small carrot, chopped1 small yellow onion, chopped1/2 green bell pepper, chopped2 ribs celery, chopped5 cloves garlic, chopped1 small serrano chile1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped1/2 bunch fresh oregano, chopped1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns1 bay leaf1/2 bottle good red wine2 teaspoons red wine vinegar2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons hot sauce10 cups canned pureed tomatoes, about five 15-ounce cansFish Stock, recipe follows Seafood:6 tubes of squid, with tentacles, cleaned and cut into rings3 whole Dungeness crab legs and bodies, with the crabmeat intact18 littleneck clams, scrubbed clean18 black mussels, bearded and scrubbed clean1 1/2 pounds fresh firm fish, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces12 peeled and deveined prawns (shells reserved for stock Fish Stock:1 pound fresh fish bones, plus the head if you can get it2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped1 small carrot, coarsely chopped1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped2 cloves garlic, mashed1/4 bunch parsley stems1 bay leaf1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns1/2 teaspoon fennel seedsShells from the prawns10 to 12 cups clam juice Fish Stock:In a large pot, add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain, reserving the broth and discarding the solids. For the tomato base: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the carrots, onions, peppers, and celery, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chile, herbs, and seasonings and cook until fragrant. Add the wine, vinegar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce and reduce until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes and all of the fish stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain through a fine strainer, discarding the solids. For the seafood: Place the strained liquid into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Add the crab, squid, clams, mussels, and fish, cover the pot, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the prawns and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. To serve: Divide the seafood into 6 large bowls and ladle the broth over top. Serve with good, crusty garlic bread to sop up all the heavenly goodness!San Francisco Style Cioppino
Christmas Eve is one week from today…Yikes! Cioppino is a must for many families during the Holidays. This one comes from the Putah Creek Cafe in Winters. It’s expensive, time consuming and a lot of work, but if you want to show your friends and family a lot of love on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, have a big pot of this on the stove. Cin Cin! San Francisco Style Cioppino Cioppino Tomato Base:1/4 cup olive oil1 small carrot, chopped1 small yellow onion, chopped1/2 green bell pepper, chopped2 ribs celery, chopped5 cloves garlic, chopped1 small serrano chile1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped1/2 bunch fresh oregano, chopped1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns1 bay leaf1/2 bottle good red wine2 teaspoons red wine vinegar2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons hot sauce10 cups canned pureed tomatoes, about five 15-ounce cansFish Stock, recipe follows Seafood:6 tubes of squid, with tentacles, cleaned and cut into rings3 whole Dungeness crab legs and bodies, with the crabmeat intact18 littleneck clams, scrubbed clean18 black mussels, bearded and scrubbed clean1 1/2 pounds fresh firm fish, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces12 peeled and deveined prawns (shells reserved for stock Fish Stock:1 pound fresh fish bones, plus the head if you can get it2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped1 small carrot, coarsely chopped1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped2 cloves garlic, mashed1/4 bunch parsley stems1 bay leaf1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns1/2 teaspoon fennel seedsShells from the prawns10 to 12 cups clam juice Fish Stock:In a large pot, add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain, reserving the broth and discarding the solids. For the tomato base: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the carrots, onions, peppers, and celery, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chile, herbs, and seasonings and cook until fragrant. Add the wine, vinegar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce and reduce until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes and all of the fish stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain through a fine strainer, discarding the solids. For the seafood: Place the strained liquid into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Add the crab, squid, clams, mussels, and fish, cover the pot, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the prawns and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. To serve: Divide the seafood into 6 large bowls and ladle the broth over top. Serve with good, crusty garlic bread to sop up all the heavenly goodness!