Cioppino
A tomato-and-wine seafood stew built to hold whatever's freshest at the fish counter, mopped up with torn bread.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Written
Method
-
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion and fennel until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
-
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
-
Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
-
Stir in the tomatoes, fish stock, and bay leaves, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
-
Nestle the clams into the broth, cover, and cook until they begin to open, about 5 minutes.
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Add the fish and shrimp, cover again, and cook until the fish is opaque and the shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes.
-
Discard the bay leaves and any clams that haven’t opened.
-
Ladle into bowls, scatter with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Build the base first and don’t rush the reduction — a broth simmered down before the seafood goes in tastes like it’s been on the stove all afternoon, even though the shellfish itself only needs ten minutes. Whatever’s freshest wins here: swap in mussels, crab legs, or scallops for any of the three, keeping the total weight about the same.
This wants a crusty loaf on the side for the broth, not rice or pasta underneath it. Leftover broth (without the seafood still in it) freezes well for a faster version next time.