Cioppino

Cioppino is a delicious tomato-based fish stew originating in San Francisco and I just LOVE it. I’m sharing Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe with you because it’s quick, easy, and one of the most delicious homemade versions we’ve made. I half this recipe and it’s still a lot of soup!

Note: Cioppino recipes call for a ton of different fishes, and when cooking for 2 as my husband and I often are, it’s impractical to buy all those different kinds of fish. Well, Trader Joe’s sells a “mixed fish” bag in their frozen section that includes baby shrimp, calamari, scallops, which is a great place to start with this recipe. Then buy a little bit of white fish and a few mussels and you’re good to go!
Cioppino
from Giada De Laurentiis

3 Tb olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 lg shallots, chopped
2 Tsp salt
4 lg garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 Tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1/4 C tomato paste 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 C dry white wine
5 C fish stock
1 bay leaf
4 1/2 lbs fish (clams, mussels, shrimp, halibut)

Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, shallots, and salt and saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and saute 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Add tomatoes with their juices, wine, fish stock and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend, about 30 minutes.

Add the clams and mussels to the cooking liquid. Cover and cook until the clams and mussels begin to open, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and fish. Simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through, and the clams are completely open, stirring gently, about 5 minutes longer (discard any clams and mussels that do not open). Season the soup, to taste, with more salt and red pepper flakes.

*I know I use a lot of recipes from Giada De Laurentiis – she has a lot of great recipes that have few ingredients, are easy to make, and taste like you’ve been cooking for hours when really you’ve only been in the kitchen for like 20 minutes.