American
Cioppino
This San Francisco seafood stew builds a wine-bright tomato broth separately, then adds seafood in deliberate stages so clams open, firm fish turns opaque, and shrimp remain tender. Dungeness crab is
6 servings · 30 minutes prep · 55 minutes cook
Ingredients
Tomato-wine broth
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped, fronds reserved
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
- 1 can (28 ounces / 794 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 2 cups (480 ml) fish stock or bottled clam juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (3 g), plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Seafood
- 1 pound (450 g) littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 1 pound (450 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 3/4 pound (340 g) firm white fish, such as halibut or cod, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) pieces
- 3/4 pound (340 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 ounces (225 g) cooked Dungeness crab meat or cracked crab legs (optional), cooked Dungeness crab meat or cracked crab legs, optional
Finish
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped reserved fennel fronds
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus wedges to serve
- 6 thick slices sourdough bread, toasted
Directions
Build the broth
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion and fennel with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add garlic and pepper flakes for 45 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook until brick red, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, scrape the pot, and reduce by half, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, stock, bay, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. The broth may be made a day ahead, chilled promptly, and reheated before adding seafood.
Cook the seafood
- Bring the broth to a lively simmer. Add clams, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Add mussels, cover, and cook 2 minutes.
- Nestle in the fish, then scatter in the shrimp. Cover and simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes, until shellfish have opened, fish is just opaque, and shrimp are curled and opaque. Add crab only for the final 2 minutes to warm through.
- Discard the bay leaf and every clam or mussel that remains closed after cooking. Fold in parsley, fennel fronds, and lemon juice. Taste for salt and serve immediately with toasted sourdough.
