Chef John's Cioppino

When you feel like splurging a little, San Francisco's famous cioppino is a great choice. This cioppino recipe, a spicy fish and shellfish stew, is a big red bowl of yummy, and when paired with a loaf of crusty sourdough bread, it's downright otherworldly.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 431 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 5 thin lemon slices
• 12 ounces cod, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 Dungeness crab, cleaned, cooked, and cracked
• 1 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat.

Step 2

Stir in onion and celery with a pinch of salt; cook until onion is soft and golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Step 3

Stir wine into onion mixture; increase heat to high and bring to a simmer.

Step 4

Stir in crab, shrimp, and mussels. Cover and simmer until all mussels are cooked and open, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Stir in fresh parsley and basil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6

Stir in tomato puree, water, bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer, 35 minutes.

Step 7

Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in lemon and cod, return to simmer, about 2 minutes.