Here is a delicious one-pot meal to serve on a windy and rainy day or any other time you don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking but relish the praise from those you have fed. Many cioppino recipes are pretty much the same but mine has a few additions that even the galley chef will agree give it a marvelous taste. Serves six.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves, garlic or 2 teaspoons minced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium can, stewed tomatoes
- 1 can, tomato paste
- 1 can, chicken broth
- 1 cup, red or white table wine
- ½ cup, water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon, dried basil
- ½ teaspoon, thyme
- ½ teaspoon, oregano
- ½ teaspoon, hot chili pepper
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- 12 steamer clams
- ¾ pound, fresh Alaskan halibut, cut into bite size chunks
- ¾ pound, fresh small to medium bay scallops
- ¾ pound, cooked and peeled Tiger shrimp, 16/20 count
- ½ pound, fresh Dungeness crab legs
In a large pot, cook the chopped onions, garlic and parsley in melted butter until the onions are soft. Add the liquid ingredients and spices. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the seafood and cook for another five minutes or until the clams open. Serve with lots of French bread for dipping in the stock.