Mussel Cioppino Recipes

CIOPPINO

Steps:

• Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
• Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, water and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• Stir in the shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and crabmeat. Stir in fish, if desired. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread!

CIOPPINO

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add clams and 1/2 cup white wine and cook until clams open, about 5 to 6 minutes (discard any clams that don't open). Remove clams and any liquid in the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add mussels and 1/2 cup white wine and cook until mussels open, about 5 to 6 minutes (discard any mussels that don't open). Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place halibut skin-side down on a cedar plank that has been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes (alternately use a baking sheet). Season halibut with Espelette pepper, fennel pollen and salt. Roast until cooked through and flaky, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. When shimmering, add onions and fennel bulb. Stir and cook until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes and remaining 1 cup white wine. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover, add shrimp and let steam from the heat of the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To serve, add mussels and clams and their broth to the tomato mixture. Place cioppino in a large serving bowl. Nestle halibut on top. Garnish with fennel fronds. Serve.

CRAB MEAT AND MUSSELS CIOPPINO WITH GLASS NOODLES

Steps:

• Put the noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. Leave the noodles for 10 minutes, drain them well, then toss with just enough soy sauce to color them lightly and evenly and set aside.
• Put one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan and heat. Quickly saute the onion, garlic and the oregano. Add the white wine, bring to a boil and add the mussels. Cover and steam until the mussels open, about four minutes. Remove the opened mussels, leaving the sauce in the pan. Remove the mussels from the shells and discard the shells. Add the tomato to the reserved sauce and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, turn off the heat and set aside.
• In another saucepan or small skillet, add two tablespoons of olive oil. Heat and add the scallion and pine nuts. Stir briefly and add the crab meat and mussels. Saute briefly. Stir in salt and cayenne to taste and turn off the heat.
• Make nests of noodles in the center of four small plates. Divide the seafood into the center of the nests. Spoon the cioppino sauce outside of the nests and serve.