Pacific Fresh Cioppino Recipes

PACIFIC NW CIOPPINO WITH ROCKFISH, SALMON, MUSSELS AND DUNGENESS CRAB CAKE

Steps:

• Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the clarified butter; once hot, add the salmon and rockfish and cook 1 minute 30 seconds per side, reducing heat if necessary to avoid burning. Working quickly, add the white wine and mussels and cover the pan. Check mussels after 1 minute to see if they have opened, then cover and continue to cook for another minute if not. Uncover and add Cioppino. Cook until sauce is warm through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, topped with Crab Cake and garnished with parsley.
• Heat an 8- to 10-quart stockpot over medium heat; add the oil. Add the carrot, celery and onion and stir to coat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are cooked through but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic puree, oregano, chile flakes, fennel seed, marjoram and thyme, and stir to coat; cook for 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add clam broth, diced tomato, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, basil, sugar, red wine vinegar, anchovy paste, lemon juice and bay leaves. Stir well to combine. Turn the heat down to low when it starts to bubble. Simmer, stirring occasionally so the bottom of the stockpot does not scorch, for 2 hours. Can be served immediately, or cooled completely and refrigerated to use within 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat; add the butter and onions. Sweat the onions until translucent in color and soft but not falling apart, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Meanwhile, combine the red pepper, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, seafood seasoning, hot sauce, eggs and the cooled onions in a large mixing bowl; stir to combine. Gently, working with your hands, mix in Dungeness crab and then 1/2 cup panko. Don't overwork the mixture; you want it to still have larger pieces of crab intact. Refrigerate 10 to 20 minutes.
• Portion the mixture into 3-ounce balls and roll them in a bowl containing the remaining 1 cup panko. Shape the cakes using either a 2-inch ring mold or by hand by sprinkling about 1 tablespoon panko onto a clean work surface and gently pressing the ball into a cake shape. Sprinkle a small amount of panko on top of the crab cake and gently press it into the cake. Press in the sides of the cake to repair any cracks or tears so it does not fall apart during the cooking process. (You can make the cakes up to 24 hours ahead of when you plan on cooking and serving. They hold well refrigerated in an airtight container with parchment paper in between them if you are going to stack them.)
• Deep fry crab cakes in canola oil at 350 degrees F until crispy and golden brown, about 2 minutes, or pan-fry in about 1/2 inch oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. You can also cook on a griddle or in a saute pan on medium to medium-high heat in about a teaspoon of cooking oil or butter each until a golden brown crust develops, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

PACIFIC FRESH CIOPPINO

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, and seasonings. Simmer, uncovered, to blend flavors, about 15 minutes.
• Add fish pieces and simmer 10 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Add clams and crab, cover and simmer until clams open. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink. Remove bay leaf. Stir in parsley and serve at once.

OVEN BAKED CIOPPINO

Steps:

• Combine the celery, fennel, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup of the whole flat-leaf parsley, some of the EVOO and a little salt and pepper in a large baking dish. Toss to coat veggies with the oil. Add the white wine and stock.
• Season the halibut & scallops with salt and pepper, drizzle with remaining olive oil and nestle everything into the baking dish.
• Top with the crushed/diced tomatoes then transfer to the oven and roast until the cod is cooked through, about 45-50 minutes. I added the shrimp and muscles after 40 minutes.
• NOTE as the muscles where an extra that I added to this recipe my baking dish was not big enough I had to put the muscles into a separate shallow baking dish and I spooned some of the juice over them. So make sure you use a large baking dish,
• Slice the bread into large chunks, as I have to watch my sodium intake I do not cook with salt so depending on your taste buds you may have to add salt.
• Serve in Large bowls.
• Note I had enough left over for lunch the next day so depending on how big your bowls are or how hungry your company is you may get more then 6 servings.

CIOPPINO

Steps:

• In an 8 quart pan over medium heat saute the onion, garlic, pepper and parsley in the oil until the onion is soft.
• Stir in sauce and diced tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, basil, oregano and tarragon.
• Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• To broth add the clams and crab.
• Cover and simmer gently until clams pop open.
• Add Shrimp and simmer for 5 minutes more or until shrimp turns pink.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with hot bread and butter.

NO SHELLS CIOPPINO

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and butter in large stock pot. Saute onion and celery until tender over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for 3 or 4 more minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth, clam juice, wine, bay leaves, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, Old Bay seasoning and saffron. Bring sauce to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for a half hour over low heat. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Continue to simmer for another half hour.
• Add lobster meat and scallops, bring back to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add clams, shrimp and cod continue to simmer for 5 minutes until cod is flakey and shrimp are pink. Gently add crabmeat and heat through about 2 minutes.
• Serve in bowls with a good sour dough french bread and a green salad.