Cioppino Recipe

Although I think of cioppino as one of my favorite Italian seafood recipes, it was actually created in San Fransico, California.

Some call it a seafood soup, others a seafood stew.

Either way, it is absolutely fabulous.

Full of flavor, healthy and not difficult to make, it certainly meets all of my criteria for a great recipe.

This cioppino recipe comes from a new soup cookbook from The Culinary Institute of America, The New Book of Soups.

You just know the CIA tests and tests their recipes until they get them just right.

You will find a review of this terrific cookbook here.

Try this healthy seafood soup/stew for yourself.

Italian Seafood Soup

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced scallions, white portion only
2 cups diced green peppers
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 1/4 cups diced fennel
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart fish broth
8 cups chopped plum tomatoes (peeled and seeded)
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt, or as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
20 littleneck clams, scrubbed well
3 steamed hardshell crabs
20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/4 lb swordfish or halibut steaks, diced
3 tablespoons shredded basil

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the scallions, peppers, onion, and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Add the white wine, bring to a boil, and cook until the volume of wine is reduced by about half, 4 to 6 minutes.

4. Add the fish broth, tomatoes, tomato puree, and bay leaves. Cover the pot and simmer the mixture slowly for about 45 minutes. Add a small amount of water, if necessary. Cioppino should be more of a broth than a stew.

5. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the clams and simmer for about 10 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.

6. Separate the claws from the crabs and cut the bodies in half. Add the crab pieces, shrimp, and swordfish to the soup. Simmer until the fish is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

7. Add the basil and adjust the seasoning to taste, if necessary. Serve in heated bowls or soup plates.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.