This recipe for an equisite cioppino is slightly adapted from a dish served at a popular West Coast restaurant called Mothers’ Bistro. It is made with prepared pasta sauce and can be made with fresh seafood or quality flash-frozen seafood.
26ouncespasta saucepre-made (compare nutritional label for sugar content)
½cupparsleyfinely chopped
½teaspoonbasilchopped, can be omitted if not fresh basil
½teaspoondried thyme
¼teaspoonfennel seedfreshly ground
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonblack pepper
1poundmusselscan be frozen
½cupdry white wine
1poundwhitefish(cod, snapper, sea bass, etc.), cut into bite size pieces
1pounduncooked medium shrimp
crab or other shell-fishoptional
2lobster tailsoptional
2cupsfresh spinachtorn into large pieces
Instructions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium-high heat. Add pepper flakes and garlic and saute quickly (about 30 seconds). Stir in clam juice to deglaze and add next seven ingredients (pasta sauce through salt & pepper).
Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat (taste for desired depth of flavor to determine when to stop simmering - it can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours).
Add mussels. Cover and cook over medium heat about 4- 5 minutes, or until shells open (discard any unopened shells). Add wine and rest of fish and simmer 5 minutes or until fish is done (do not overcook!).
1 pound mussels, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 1 pound whitefish, 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, crab or other shell-fish, 2 lobster tails
Stir in spinach to the hot stew to soften, and serve with a crusty French Bread or other robust bread.
2 cups fresh spinach
Notes
Additions or Substitutions:Other ingredients often seen in cioppino include red wine, onions and garlic, parsley and basil.**Want more like this? Subscribe to our Sunday newsletter to get recipes, gardening guides and diet help. Let’s go from Inspiration to Done!