She Strengthens

Cioppino: A Flavorful Italian-American Seafood Stew

A Rich History
Cioppino, a hearty seafood stew, has its roots in San Francisco’s fishing community in the 1930s. The name “cioppino” originates from the Ligurian soup “ciuppin,” meaning “chopped.” This dish was born from the fusion of Italian and American cuisines, reflecting the cultural diversity of the city.

A Versatile Recipe
The beauty of cioppino lies in its adaptability. Feel free to experiment with different types of seafood, using what’s freshest and available. You can add crab, lobster, or salmon to create your unique flavor profile. Aim for about 5 pounds of seafood in total.

The Perfect Broth
The foundation of cioppino is a rich, garlicky tomato broth infused with white wine and herbs. To start, sauté chopped onions and garlic in olive oil, then add tomato paste, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Reduce the white wine by half before adding the tomatoes and fish stock or clam juice. Let the flavors meld together for 30 minutes.

Adding the Seafood
Once the broth is ready, add the clams and mussels, covering the pot to cook for 5 minutes. Then, gently simmer the shrimp, scallops, and fish for another 5 minutes, or until they’re just cooked through. Discard any unopened clams and mussels.

Serving Suggestions
Serve cioppino with crusty garlic bread or toasted sourdough to soak up the flavorful broth. Garnish each bowl with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of basil, if desired. This stew is perfect for special occasions or cozy nights in.

Make-Ahead Tip
Prepare the broth a day ahead and refrigerate it to allow the flavors to meld together. Simply reheat the broth and cook the seafood just before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano plum tomatoes in juice
• 2 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound Manila or littleneck clams in the shell, scrubbed
• 1 pound mussels in the shell, scrubbed and debearded
• 3/4 pound large sea scallops, tough adductor muscles trimmed from sides if necessary
• 1 1/2 pounds firm white fish like halibut, snapper, cod, or sea bass, skinned, deboned, and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste