Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for frying Oregano (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 cup Organic Dry White Wine
- 2 cups Vegan Clam Juice (recipe follows)
- 2 15 oz cans Chopped Tomatoes in Juice
- 1 cup Water
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh Italian Parsley
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
- Kosher Salt, to taste
- 2 batches of Vegan Crab (recipe follows)
- 1 loosely packed cup of Fresh Oregano Leave
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet or roasting pan (I use my Le Crueset dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and Vegan Crab, and saute for about 5-10 minutes until the onions are softened and the "Crab" is browning. Add the white wine, then increase the heat to high and allow the mixture to boil for two minutes.
Add in the "clam" juice, tomatoes and their juices, the 1 cup of water, bay leaves, parsley and crushed red pepper flakes, then bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, then simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer the skillet or pan to the oven, and roast for 30 minutes.
While the cioppino is roasting in the oven, get your herb-frying oil heating in a saucepan over medium to high heat (depending on your burner strength). Once the oil is hot, carefully add the oregano leaves plus a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then fry for 1 minute. Remove the fried oregano as possible from the pan, then place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Serve a few leaves as a garnish on each bowl of cioppino.