WHAT IS CIOPPINO

Cioppino is an Italian seafood stew that is originated by the Italian fishermen in California.  The dish is popular around Christmas time as it’s best to consume during cold weather.  It may seem tedious to gather all the ingredients but once you have everything ready, this delicious dish can be made in under 30 minutes.  Before you start shopping remember the below rules for clams and muscles.

RULES OF CLAMS

When you buy fresh clams/mussels make sure they are all tightly closed, and not opened or  chipped.  If you see spoiled ones separate them from the good ones as soon as possible as they may contaminate the good ones. After boiling the good clams/ mussels  should be opened.

EASY TO REMEMBER

uncooked – throw away the opened ones

cooked – throw away the closed ones 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CIOPPINO

150gr of mussels – washed and drained

100gr of clams – washed and drained

150gr of shrimps – washed and deveined

150gr of squids – washed and cut into rings

150gr of cherry tomatoes – pricked, to avoid from popping in the heat

1 pinch of pepperoncino (dry chili flakes) – optional, add more if you prefer more heat to your Cioppino

1 yellow onion – finely chopped

3 large cloves of garlics – finely chopped

1 large stalk of celery  – finely  chopped

150ml of white wine

200ml of seafood stock

3 tbs of olive oil (preferably extra virgin olive oil)

150ml of tomato puree or 1 tin of chopped tomato

Salt & pepper to taste

Note:  You can use any variety of seafood for your Cioppino. Crabs, white fish like Cods would be nice too.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN SEAFOOD STOCK

• Boil all muscles and clams in approximateky 300ml of water, fish out the shells, set the mussels stock  aside
• In a wok , heat 1 tbs of oil on medium heat, add all the shells from the prawns. Sautee until the shell for 5 – 8  minutes until they become golden brownand smell wonderful , try to squeeze as much of  the goodness as possible. Add the muscles stock
• Leave to simmer on low heat for further 5 – 10  minutes.
• Fish out all the shells and you have seafood stock organically made in your kitchen

HOW TO  MAKE CIOPPINO

• Heat 2 tbs of oil in a pot on medium heat, add onion and garlic, continue stirring to avoid it from getting burnt, add a pinch of salt & pepper
•  Once onion and garlic have become translucent, add celery and tomatoes, add chili flakes, add tomato puree, sautee for approximately 5 – 8 minutes
• Add, tomato puree, white wine and seafood stock, add the seafood, continue to simmer on low heat for 5 – 8  minutes,
• Taste it for flavour balance, add salt and pepper if you think necessary.
• And Ecco qua!!, your Cioppino is ready

Cioppino is best to serve with sliced of toasted sourdough, but you can serve it with regular sliced of toasted baguetteor ay bread of your choice .

I would use the same sauce for pasta marinara