The beloved San Francisco Cioppino

Originally made on the boats, Cioppino was developed in the late 1800's by fishermen who settled in North Beach. The name comes from the word ciuppin, meaning to chop, describing the process of making the stew by chopping up various left over "catch of the day".

ZUPPA DI CIOPPINO SAVORY DELICIOUSNESS

SOUP BASE:

1 bulb fennel, coarsely chopped

4 leeks, white parts only, coarsely chopped and washed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 dried chile de arbol, seeded

2 shallots chopped

1 large can whole tomatoes (blend in food processor)

2 tablespoon Arborio rice

2 quarts fish stock, plus more as needed (can use combo of fish stock and vegetable broth)

bay leaf

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed and 1/2 teaspoon anise ground

salt and pepper

juice of one lemon

In a large pot over medium-high heat, saute the leeks and fennel with the olive oil until translucent. Add blended canned tomatoes, stir over heat, about 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients except lemon juice and stir well. Bring to a simmer over high head, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer and continue cooking until rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Puree the soup base in a blender. Add lemon juice. If soup base is too thick add more fish stock or vegetable broth.

May be made 1-2 days ahead of use.

ZUPPA AND ASSEMBLY:

1 cup dry white wine

soup base

salt and pepper

2 shallots finely chopped

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

3 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup chopped chives

"catch of the day": mussels, manila clams, shrimp, scallops, crab meat (about 1 lb each give or take whatever shellfish is fresh and available. The last time I made this I only used dungenous crab meat, mussels and clams. The crab absorbs some of the soup base, acting as a thickener).

1 lb red snapper

flour for dredging

In large frying pan, saute shallots in olive oil until translucent. Stir in mussels and clams, then stir in white wine. Cover pan and simmer until the shell fish has opened. Discard any that will not open. Add to soup base. Stir in prawns and scallops, simmer and poach until the fish is done. The prawns and scallops should be firm and opaque. Stir in chopped chives and crab meat.

Meanwhile, season snapper lightly with salt and pepper, lightly dredge fish in flour. Heat large skilled over medium-high heat, add few tablespoons olive oil. When oil is hot add fish pieces and saute until lightly golden on both sides, 2-4 minutes on each side.

Divide soup between about 8 bowls and top with sauteed fish. Serve immediately. For true San Francisco experience, serve with warm sour dough bread.

The making of the fish stock

Making your own fish stock might be the key ingredient in making an amazing cioppino! The biggest challenge to making homemade fish stock is where to get a fresh fish carcass. Well it is easy when your roommate manages Catch Isle. I had asked Chris to bring home some fish bones so I could make some stock. When I opened the refrigerator door last week to find half a Halibut carcass in a box I wondered if Chris actually thought we had a pan big enough to fit it all in, and that was only half of the fish. He had wanted to bring the whole thing home for the shock value but couldn't figure out how bring it on the bus. I am sure if you don't have a roommate that works in a seafood restaurant you could go to any local seafood market to pick up some fish bones.

The making of the stock. Key ingredients: Fish bones! 1 bottle white wine, 3 quarts water, 1 onion, celery, carrots, bay leaf, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Boil until stock starts to turn a whitish-yellow color about 1 hour. Strain and now you are ready to make your favorite cioppino recipe or you can use mine.

Sunset Picnic

Last Thursday another memorable and successful supper club night happened thanks to all of my loyal friends and followers. One email and 10 hours later fourteen reservations were quickly made for the supper club. I am currently planning a sunset picnic at Stafford Lake in Novato for Sunday, August 9th. Why Novato?? It's summertime and we all need a little sunshine and green grass to clear up the San Francisco fog. It's going to include lots of yummy food pared with beer from brewer Nick Shortway. If you have any interest in getting on my email list please email me at kate@savorydeliciousness.com I will be sending out the invite in a few weeks for the picnic.