4

Cioppino with City Fish Seafood

We made this fantastic stew from seafood we brought home from City Fish at Pike Place Market in Seattle. Their prices were quite a bit cheaper than the fancy fish throwing shop and the seafood was every bit as fresh. They even included a bunch of salmon bones and tails free of charge for stock.

I very rarely make these kinds of dishes because of our limited access to top quality seafood. Now that I know City Fish ships I’ll be sending in my orders occasionally. Probably about the time I run out of salmon stock!

Salmon Stock
Make this the morning of or the day before. If you would rather use a slow cooker go ahead and throw everything in, fill to the top with water and cook on either low or high heat for several hours.

3 to 5 salmon bones with tails, (no heads)
1 white onion, peeled and quartered
4 stocks celery with leaves if possible, chopped in half
2 carrots, rinsed and chopped in half
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper

Fill a large pot with a strainer full of water, place the strainer in the pot and place in the vegetables, salt, and pepper. Cook on high until it comes to a small boil, then reduce to barely simmering and cover with a lid. Cook for about 4 to 5 hours on low, then remove the veggies and cool to nearly room temperature. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Store any extra stock in 4 cup amounts in the freezer for future use.

Cioppino
Feel free to use any type of seafood you like in this stew. Or even just one or two types if you prefer. I added calamari to mine this time.

5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
750ml bottle Red wine
4 cups fish stock
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
28-to 32-ounce can whole tomatoes including juice, pureed coarse
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 lb fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 live Dungeness crabs
12 small hard-shelled clams
1/2 pound medium shrimp
1/2 pound sea scallops
1 pound scrod or other white fish fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

In a heavy kettle cook garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add pepper flakes and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened. Add vinegar and boil until evaporated. Add wine, oregano, and bay leaf and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in tomato puree and tomato paste, fish stock or water and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes.

Add crabs and clams and simmer, covered, 15 to 20 minutes, transferring clams as they open to a bowl (discard unopened ones).

Transfer crabs to a cutting board and remove top shells, adding any crab liquid to soup. Halve or quarter crabs (depending on size) and reserve, with any additional liquid, in a bowl.

Add shrimp, scallops, and fish to soup and simmer, covered, 5 minutes, or until seafood is just cooked through. Stir in crabs, their liquid, and clams and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with warm, crusty sourdough French bread.

Cioppino adapted slightly from Tim and Victor’s Totally Joyous Recipes. Salmon stock recipe and photograph by Laura Flowers. City Fish is where I purchased the seafood and they ship. Their phone number is (206) 682-9329.