Recipe: Portuguese-Style Crab Cioppino and Court Bouillon

PORTUGUESE-STYLE CRAB CIOPPINO

"This recipe celebrates the rich Portuguese and Italian heritage of the Monterey Peninsula. It also offers a wonderful option for those interested in choosing ingredients that are sustainable, a priority for the culinary team of this seaside retreat. During Dungeness crab season from November to late March, Asilomar's "Papa" Eddie, his family, friends and the entire community throw big crab cioppino parties. Sometimes as many as 1,200 people show up to relax, have fun and eat as much crab as possible."

2 cups kosher salt
6 (1 1/2 pound each) Dungeness crabs
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 pound unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced white onion
1/4 cup fresh minced garlic
2 quarts tomato sauce
1 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup Portuguese crushed chili sauce or medium-spiced picante sauce
1 bunch coarsely chopped curly parsley
1 batch court bouillon (recipe follows)
1 cup dry white wine

TO COOK THE CRABS:
Fill a 3-gallon stockpot with water and 2 cups kosher salt and place over medium-high heat until water comes to a boil. Carefully place crabs in boiling water and cook for 18 minutes. Remove crabs and place in an ice bath until cool. (To check if crabs are cool, pick one up and squeeze it, holding at the top and bottom, until water comes out. The water temperature is indicative of the crab's internal temperature.) Pull off the top shells of the crabs, scoop innards and crab juice into a bowl and save for later. Keep cleaned crabs refrigerated until ready to serve.

TO MAKE THE CIOPPINO SAUCE:
Place olive oil, butter, onions and garlic in a 2-gallon stockpot and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add tomato sauce, paste, chili sauce and parsley. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 quarts of the court bouillon and mix with a whisk until well blended.

Place a fine sieve (or colander with cheesecloth) over the tomato sauce pot, and pour the bowl of reserved crab juice and innards through it.

Pour the white wine through the sieve and crab innards, using the back of a spoon to push the remaining juices into the tomato sauce. Discard the leftover content of the sieve. Ideally, the sauce should simmer for 6 hours, but in no case less than 2-1/2 hours. The sauce should be slightly thinner than a classic pasta sauce. If it gets too thick, add more court bouillon.

Place cleaned crab into simmering cioppino sauce, and warm completely (5 to 8 minutes).

TO SERVE:
Serve in bowl with extra sauce, a salad, garlic bread and good red wine.

COURT BOUILLON

5 pounds halibut bones (may substitute salmon)
2 large peeled and coarsely diced carrots
2 stalks coarsely diced celery
1 washed and coarsely diced leek
3/4 cup pickling spice
6 to 8 dried chili peppers or 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

Place fish bones, carrots, celery, leek, pickling spice and peppers in a 3-gallon stockpot. Fill with enough cold water to cover bones. Place over medium heat and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.

Note:
Adding shellfish, shrimp or fish to the sauce will make this special meal extraordinary.

Serves 6
From Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds
Source: Pathways To Plate by Chef Roland Henin (Delaware North Companies; December 2006)