Every country in the world that has a border on the ocean has a traditional fish or seafood stew. An Italian version, cioppino, is one of the best. This dish, submitted by our good friend Peggy Greenhut Golden, is a good example. The great aspect of this dish is that the fish and shellfish can be changed every time you prepare it to keep it fun and different.

Cioppino (Fish Stew)

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 2

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp salted butter
1 cup onion finely chopped
1 tsp garlic minced
1 cup green pepper chopped
1 lb fresh mushrooms (trim ends, cut in half if large)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes with puree and basil
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
2 bottle (8 oz) clam juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh parsley minced
2 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1 tbsp sugar
8 to 10 clams or mussels (scrubbed clean
1 lb medium shrimp shelled and de-veined, with tails intact
1.5 lb fresh fish steaks swordfish, sea bass, or snapper, cubed to 1 to 2 inch squares
.5 lb fresh scallops
.5 lb lump crab meat

Optional Topping

4 tsp mayonnaise
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp lime juice

Instructions

Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch-oven pot.
Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and mushrooms. Sauté for 10 minutes or until the onion is limp.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, clam juice, lemon juice, parsley, bay leaves, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar. Heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add the fish. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fish is flaky.
Add the clams (or mussels), shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat. Cover and simmer on low heat until clams (or mussels) open. Discard any clams that do not open.
Serve in large, flat soup bowls.

Optional Topping

Mix the mayonnaise, curry powder, and lime juice in a small bowl. Put a dollop on top of the fish stew.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

March 29th, 2016
2 Comments

Linda says:

8 years ago

Made this Cioppino for dinner this week…..so delicious!!! I used the scallops, shrimp, crab, and cod. Easy to make, and amazingly delicious. I will make the broth to freeze and then add fresh fish in the future. Thanks for sharing!
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Eleni J says:

5 years ago

Have prepared this soup quite a few times…and never used a dollop of anything…except for some fresh crusty bread for dipping as is done in Sicily. I would not put any mayo on this soup… dittoes for butter…EVOO is all you need. Butter and mayo would ruin the taste!
Other than that it is an OK recipe.
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