Photo: Cioppino Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 quarts fish fumet, recipe follows (can substitute mixture of 2 parts water to 1 part clam juice)
- Pinch saffron
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 head fennel, sliced
- Grey salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon toasted fennel seed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 1/2 cup pernod
- 5 whole jalapenos
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon leaves
- 2 pounds littleneck clams
- 1 pound cooked crab legs, cracked into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 pounds halibut fillet, skinned, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 3/4 pound sea scallops, foot removed
Directions
Heat 2 cups fumet, clam juice or water in a small saucepan. Add saffron, simmer about 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil oil in an 8-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, allowing it to brown for about 20 seconds, then add onions, fennel, and a pinch of salt. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Add fennel seed, bay leaf and oregano. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until paste darkens a bit, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes (squeeze them slightly through your fingers to soften first), white wine, pernod and the saffron flavored fish fumet, clam juice or water. Add remaining fish fumet, clam juice or water, whole jalapenos and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until liquid has reduced by half. Cover pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
Skim the fat from the soup, and add parsley, basil and tarragon. Add clams and simmer until clams open, about 3 minutes (discard any unopened clams). Add crab pieces and heat through. With a pair of tongs, remove crab legs to warmed serving bowls. Place a colander with shrimp in it, into the pot without submerging it completely. When shrimp are just cooked and pink and add to serving bowls. Use tongs to fish out the clams, add to serving bowls. Melt the butter in the broth, stirring as it melts.
Meanwhile, season halibut and scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. Cook the haibut and scallops, without stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook another 30 seconds. Fish will be slightly underdone. Cover scallops and sautéed fish with ladles of broth, bring to a simmer, then transfer scallops and fish to the serving bowls.
Remove bay leaf and the jalapeno peppers from pot. Season broth with salt and pepper. Pour broth over fish in bowls.
Mash the softened jalapeno peppers into a paste, and serve as a garnish for guests who like their Cioppino spicy.
Fish Fumet:
- 5 1/2 pounds bones and trimmings from white fish
- 10 cups cold water
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, sliced thin
- 3 shallots, slice thin
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 10 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 bay leaf
Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain fumet and allow to cool before storing.
*Michael's note:
Always rinse any blood off your fish bones in cold water for a clearer stock. Never use salmon bones for stock, the fish is too oily.
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By happyred20
New York, NY
on May 07, 2013
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Made this for my Dad on a whim, originally was just having fish dinner, pulled this together almost exactly as Michael's recipe is written with one change. I added two links of fresh Chorizo at the beginning with the onion and fennel. My Dad and my husband ate until they couldn't eat any more - and that's saying something! The flavor is amazing every component in this recipe adds deliciousness. I will definitely make this again and again! While easy, the timing of everything was a little bit of a juggling act, but well worth the final product. I also served this with sour dough crostini.
By dmrmsr
Bend, OR
on December 24, 2012
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Was our Christmas Eve entree. Very good, very easy and would easily serve 8. A Few tips and modifications. 1. See "Ma's Cooking" comment re just putting all raw fish in at end and letting it cook. That's what we did and it was very easy and less fuss than the original recipe. 2. We omitted fennel seed. 3. Omitted butter at end, although next time we'd drizzle each bowl with a little EVOO before serving. 4. Used uber fresh fish and shellfish. 1.5 lb each medium shrimp and cod - latter subbed for halibut, 8 oz shelled whole clams, ten large sea scallops quartered. 5. The Pernod and fresh herbs make this. Jalapenos add a grassy green element and just an essence of heat. Nice. 6. Put a garlic rubbed crostini in the bottom of each bowl to soak up the juices.
By suziea12161_6291239
Bakersfield, CA
on December 23, 2012
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Outstanding! I have made this twice, have varied the seafood to our preferences and availability, and it was absolutely delicious. It will now be a holiday tradition in our household!
Read all 26 reviews