Father’s Day is right around the corner and what better way to celebrate that other special man in your life than with a tasty home-cooked meal? When it comes to Dad, we have much to be grateful for and this summer holiday is all about celebrating all that he’s done for us over the years. This year, we’re making it our goal to win his heart at the dinner table with this secret weapon–Seafood Cioppino. Hailing all the way from San Francisco, Cioppino is an Italian-American classic dish. Often made with fresh fish from the catch of the day, this fisherman’s stew also features shrimp, clams, scallops, mussels, squid and other items from the sea. You’ll want to choose any firm fish that can hold up well during the cooking process such as halibut, sea bass or snapper but salmon will also work beautifully as well. The seafood is simmered in a white wine and seafood broth along with fresh tomatoes and then served alongside hearty toasted bread for dipping. Now this is no ordinary cioppino; this is the one cioppino to rule them all. The secret is in the addition of our Mini San Marzano Tomatoes which give this recipe a uniquely sweet flavor unlike any other seafood stew you’ll find.
No cioppino is quite complete without the sweet and rich flavors Mini San Marzano Tomatoes have to offer. This variety can be traced back to the small town of San Marzano near Naples, Italy and is a hot house grown with year round availability. These wonderfully petite jewels are an heirloom variety of Roma Tomato and are known to be naturally sweeter and meatier than regular tomatoes with a stronger flavor. They also have less seeds and a low acidity, making them particularly easy to work with and popular among chefs and home cooks alike. For another easy and refreshing summer dish, you can use them as part of a Ceviche or salad. They are also excellent roasted or incorporated into soups, sauces, salsas and more.
Seafood Cioppino
Yields: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 lbs of firm, skinless fish fillets such as halibut, sea bass, salmon or snapper
- 1 lb of uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lb of manila clams, scrubbed
- 1 lb of mussels, scrubbed
- 1 package of Melissa’s Mini San Marzano Tomatoes, chopped
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 cups of fish stock
- 1 and 1/2 cups of dry white wine
- 1 and 1/4 cups of water
- 1/4 cup of tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- Fresh basil
- Toasted baguette or hearty bread
1. In a large pot, heat up the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions, shallots and some of the salt. Sauté for around 8 to 10 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes and sauté for another 3 minutes.
2. Add the chopped Mini San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, white wine and fish stock. Throw in the bay leaf.
3. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for around 30 minutes.
4. After about 30 minutes, add the clams and mussels and allow to cook for around 5 minutes. Add the fish and shrimp and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat when the clams and mussels have opened up and the fish and shrimp and completely cooked.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add in the parsley. Add more red pepper flakes if desired. Ladle the seafood cioppino into individual bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Serve alongside toasted slices of baguette or hearty bread.