Cioppino - Romancing the Fish!

Ever wonder what to do with leftover fish? Do you have a few shrimp in the freezer that need to be used? Try Cioppino! Friday night, I made grilled salmon for my husband and myself and bought more than we needed just to have a few pieces left to prepare this flavorful fish stew. A few scallops and shrimp in the freezer and all I needed from the grocery store were a few mussels and a crusty baguette and tonight's dinner was ready in no time at all.

Quoting from Wikipedia, Cioppino"was developed in the late 1800s by Portuguese and Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco. Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. The name comes from ciuppin, a word in the Ligurian dialect of the port city of Genoa, meaning "to chop" or "chopped" which described the process of making the stew by chopping up various leftovers of the days catch."

I used salmon, shrimp, Bay scallops and mussels in my 'today's catch' version of cioppino but you can use any favorite fish or shellfish in this recipe.The sea is the limit and it is truly a romantic blend of sea flavors!

Cioppino

From a favorite old recipe of mine – source unknown
Printable Recipe

Save any leftover cooked fish or seafood from a previous meal to make this delicious fish chowder. The fish used in this recipe are merely ideas - use your favorite fish or shellfish in whatever proportions you like.

1/8 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped with leaves
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
½ tablespoon minced garlic
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
¾ cup white wine (I like Chardonnay)
¾ cup water
1 bay leaf
1/8 cup parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon basil, chopped (or ½ T dried basil)
1 teaspoon thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/3 lb bay scallops, thawed if frozen
½ pound of mild, white fish, such as tilapia, cut into large chunks
½ pound of salmon filet, cut into large chunks
½ pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
Mussels, clams (optional)

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat, add onion celery add onion, celery, carrots and potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 or 2 minutes.

Add canned tomatoes, chicken stock, wine, water, bay leaf , herbs and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add all raw fish or seafood and cook for about 7 minutes. Then add any precooked fish or seafood and cook another 7 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve with a crusty baguette for dipping into the broth.

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