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Cioppino is a fish stew popular in the United States and Italy, made with fresh seafood and regional ingredients. It was invented by Italian-American fishermen in San Francisco and is similar to bouillabaisse. When selecting fish, it should be fresh and stored under ice. To make cioppino, cook the fish, sauté onions and garlic, add wine and tomato paste, and simmer with clam broth. Add seafood and steam for 8-10 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and garnish with parsley or cilantro and lemon.
Cioppino is a fish stew, popular along both coasts of the United States and in Italy, from which the word cioppino is derived. The Italian inspiration for cioppino is known as fish soup, or “fish soup.” Many cioppinos are made with a regional focus, integrating ingredients like Dungeness crab in San Francisco or lobster in Maine. Cioppino is similar to bouillabaisse, a French fish stew, though it doesn’t usually include saffron, a vital ingredient in bouillabaisse.
Cioppino was supposedly invented in San Francisco by Italian-American fishermen creating Americanized versions of seafood stews at home. Cioppino features a wide variety of extremely fresh seafood, which might include mussels, clams, scallops, halibut, sea bass, shrimp, or anything else the cook can come up with. The real cioppino ingredients change from day to day, depending on the fish available and the position of the cook.
When selecting fish, try to make sure it has been caught that day and been handled on ice since it was taken from the ocean. Ideally, the fish should be stored under ice, so that when it melts, it carries away the secretions, rather than collecting them under the fish. Storing under ice also ensures that the fish remains evenly chilled and is not exposed to potential airborne contaminants. Fish should never smell fishy or be slimy to the touch. Cooked fish should never be stored in the same case as raw fish.
Shellfish should be opened and stored in slit containers, so that when urinating and excreting these materials are carried out, not stewed with food. When touched, the shellfish should close.
Farmers’ markets are often a great resource for high quality fish. Since fish is the basis of a cioppino, it pays to invest in the best fish possible, for health and for the flavor of the food. Also keep in mind that some fish can be high in mercury, especially swordfish and other oily fish. You should minimize your intake of these fish.
To make cioppino, start by preparing and cooking the fish. Steam the shellfish, reserving the water, and cook the rest of the fish briefly. Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil, adding mushrooms, peppers and other greens if you’re inclined to. Mix with salt, red pepper and cracked black pepper before adding red or white wine and tomato paste. Add the clam broth and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Put the seafood in a pot, starting with the chopped crab or lobster if you have it, adding the fish pieces and placing the shellfish. If you’re running out of space, you can halve the shellfish, leaving only the bottom portion of the shell in the stew and discarding the rest. Pour the sauce over the seafood mixture and steam for 8-10 minutes.
You ladle food straight from the pot, immediately refrigerating unserved portions. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and lemon. The crusty French bread is also a great accompaniment.
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