Recipe(tried): Cioppino

SAM, try this one

CIOPPINO

There is no Italian translation for the word Cioppino even though the name sounds Italian. The only thing that comes close is based on the Ligurian Ciuppin, which means nearly any sort of fish or seafood zuppa. It's made throughout the Ligure area but is more common on the lower east coast of the Riviera towards Tuscany. And, this Mediterranean dish is very much like a Bouillabaisse. There are many variations of these dishes (Ciuppin, Bouillabaisse & Cioppino) and they all think theirs is the true original and the best.

Cioppino as we know it is an Italian-American dish of a fish stew that originated with the Italian and Portuguese fishermen on the docks in San Francisco, California. The dish consists of fish and shellfish cooked with garlic, tomato and white wine. Not all fishing boats went out after the same catch so upon their return, they would have quite a selection of seafood on board and plenty of it. This all started before WWI and as legend goes, it might have been a place called "Meigg's Wharf". Someone on the docks would always have a large hot pot going and the fishermen would share a basket of their catch, or whatever they had for leftovers and trade it for a meal; "THE CIOPPINO".

1 cup of good olive oil
1 large Onion chopped
A piece of prosciutto skin (3 x 3 x inch) or 4, inch slices of salt pork or pancetta diced
4 to 6 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (no not cook with any wine you wouldn't drink)
2 quarts marinara sauce; If you don't make your own buy a good prepared.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh graded cheese (Pecorino Romano or Regianno Parmeggiano) for serving
1 spring of Fresh Oregano or a 1/2 tsp. if dry
1 spring of thyme
10 to 12 leaves of fresh basil or 2 clusters
4 to 5 springs of fresh parsley, remove bottom stem
top 1/4 of a bunch of celery including, chopped
2 to 4 cups of clam juice, fresh if available
I pint of fresh chopped clams

Use only fresh fish, crab and clams if you can. The following fish products all have different cooking times, so if this your first time at bat with Cioppino, we'll cook them separately.

1/2 lb. cod cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 Lb. of firm fleshed fish, like bass, rockfish, tuna. sword, monk or even shark. Cut in chunk size pieces.
If you don't mind spending, shell some lobster tails and claws. (Optional) or just use monk fish.
2 doz. count necks scrubbed
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. mussels scrubbed and remove beards
1/2 pound or 2 cups fresh calimari tubes, cleaned and cut into rings about 1/4 to 1/2 inch
1/2 lb. chopped fresh clams
8 oz Dungeness Crab meat or whole crab cooked, cleaned and cracked
1 Lb. large shrimp, cleaned and de-veined with tail on
1/2 lb. sea scallops

You will need a large 8-10 quart heavy bottom pot, a 10-12 inch saute pan with lid and a large bowl.

Bring the pot up to medium-high and add the meat, the celery and the onions and cook until onions are translucent. Add 1/4 of the garlic, a splash of clam juice, the fish and salt and pepper to taste. Fresh fish cooks very fast so keep an eye on it until done; 3-6 minutes pending on size. When done, transfer fish to the bowl with slotted spoon to retain liquid. Add the Marinara sauce and simmer to heat.

Bring the saute pan to medium-high, add a little oil, some garlic, the shrimp and cook until opaque white. Transfer shrimp to bowl and again retain liquid. Add the necks to the same pan, cover until they start to open. As each clam opens, transfer it to the bowl and do the same with the mussel. If any mussels are open before cooking, throw them out. In the same pan cook the scallops and lobster meat the same way you cooked the shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste, add garlic and oil as required, transfer to bowl when done and this time include the juices.

By this time, the Marinara sauce should be up to speed so add all the remaining spices the wine, half the clam juice and simmer for about another 5 minutes or so. If you chose to use the prosciutto skin, take it out and discard at this time. Take a taste NOW and if it needs anything, add it.

Add everything in the bowl to the pot and simmer for another 3-5 minutes.

Add the calimari rings as well as the chopped clams and simmer for about 1 minute. Serve hot with a ton of hard crusted Italian bread or garlic bread.
WOW! That was a lot of work but it will sure be worth it.

MARINARA SAUCE:
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 med. onions chopped
6 cloves chopped garlic
1 (#10) can of diced tomatoes (in juice) or 3 to 4 cans of 28 oz. market size. If you choose to use plum tomatoes, place them in a large bowl add break them up into small pieces with your hands. Pur e or mash half of the tomatoes or add a can of ground crushed.
10 to 12 leaves of fresh basil or 2 clusters
10 to 12 springs of fresh parsley, remove bottom stem
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper jar prepared in liquid, (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine (never cook with anything you wouldn't drink)
red pepper seeds (optional at serving)
graded cheese (Pecorino Romano or Regianno Parmeggiano)
pasta - your choice

In a deep saucepan, on the heavy side, add olive oil and heat to medium. Add onions half the garlic and simmer until onions are translucent.

Add the tomatoes, Salt and pepper to taste and bring up to a low boil and then simmer for about 30-45 minutes to one hour. Keep stirring from the center of the pan; it will burn if you use a lightweight pan. * Time for a taste test! Are the tomatoes cooked enough? Not everyone's stove or pans are alike.

When they are done (without killing them), add the wine, fresh parsley, the basil and remainder of the garlic and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so. ** Time for a 2nd taste test! And do what u gudda do.

NOTE:
* If it does burn a little you may still be able to salvage it by not stirring up the burnt part because the taste will kill the sauce.
** If you put the fresh herbs in too early they will just cook out and you will find yourself adding and adding.

VARIATION: If you want to make a pizza sauce, replace the parsley, basil and onions with Oregano.

GARLIC BREAD:
Take sliced Italian bread and broil or grill to toast both sides to a golden brown. Mix olive oil, melted butter S&P to taste, minced FRESH garlic and finely chopped parsley in a small bowl. Brush generously on one side and return to broiler until the edges start to turn a darker brown and it looks cooked.

This It will be "del'arte di mangiare bene (the art of eating well).

Buona Appetito, VINCENZO