CIOPPINO


One of my Dad’s specialties.  He got it from some unknown magazine, then boogied with it.  His notes are included here.

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium leek, chopped [or bunch green onions]

1 small green pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

1 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1 lb.-13 oz. can tomatoes

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

3 cups dry white wine

1/4 tsp. basil

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 lb. rock cod fillets

1 lb. clams in shell

1 lb. lobster tails

1 lb. shrimp

1 lb. cracked crab [or 1 medium crab]

Heat oil in large kettle.  Add onion, leek, green pepper, parsley and garlic and cook until onion is tender but not browned, stirring now and then.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 cups wine, basil bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, about 30 minutes.  The sauce can be refrigerated or frozen at this point for use later.

Cut fish into chunks.  Scrub clams, crab and lobster tails throughly.  Cut lobster tails through shells into 3 or 4  pieces each.  Shell and clean shrimp, leaving tails intact.

Add remaining 1 cup of wine to sauce and bring to a boil.  Add fish, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Add crab, clams, lobster and shrimp and simmer 5 minutes longer or until clam shells are open and shrimp and lobster are opaque.  Ladle into hot bowls, putting some of each seafood and pouring sauce into each serving.  Serve with crusty bread.  Makes 6 servings.

DAD’S TIPS:  More wine, more garlic, some oregano but not too much, extra can of tomato sauce.  Serve with pasta [esp. shells] or rice.

Susan Fox
Susan Fox
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