Southern California Cioppino

This popular dish originated around Monterey Bay, California. This version, created in San Diego, has a southwest flavor. Serve with large bibs, crab shell crackers, extra bowls for the shells, and finger bowls if you wish. Nice served in large, shallow bowls alongside crusty sourdough bread, a green salad, and chilled white wine. You can vary the seafood according to the catch of the day, yours or your market's.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 476 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 carrots, sliced
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 stalks celery, chopped, with leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 (8 ounce) jars clam juice
• 1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded
• ¾ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pound halibut steaks, cubed
• 2 pounds clams in shell, scrubbed
• 1 pound cooked crabmeat
• 1 pound bay or sea scallops, rinsed and drained

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, and garlic, and cook 5 to 10 minutes. Add parsley, cilantro, tomatoes, tomato juice, clam juice, white wine, basil, oregano, thyme, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.

Step 2

Approximately 15 to 20 minutes before you are ready to serve the cioppino, stir in the fish, shrimp, mussels, clams, crab, and scallops. Continue to cook and stir approximately 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and the clams and mussel shells have opened. Remove any unopened mussels or clams before serving.