Cioppino

By ldijoe

You can serve cioppino with thick slices of baguette that have been toasted, rubbed with raw garlic and drizzled with olive oil.

You can also serve over linguine.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/3 lb. squid, tubes and tentacles, cut to 1/2 inch piees
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 lbs. firm, meaty fish such as shark, yellowtail, grouper or sea bass, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb. lean flaky fish, such as rock cod or snapper cut in 1-inch cubes
• 3/4 lb. shrimp, in shell
• 1 lb. small clams
• 1/2 cup parsley

Preparation

Step 1

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the green onion, onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Add the squid and stir to coat with flavorings. Add the crushed tomatoes, red wine, salt, bay leaf and oregano and bring to a simmer.

Lower the heat and continue cooking, stirring occasionally about 45 minutes. It can be prepared to this point in advance if tightly covered and refrigerated.

In a separate large saucepan, one that is taller than it is wide, arrange the fish. First, ladle in a thin layer of the sauce. Then begin stacking the fish in the rough order of how long they will take to cook: start with the meaty ones, then the flaky, then the shrimp and then the clams. If you are using crab or lobster, put those on the bottom layer.

Pour the remaining sauce over the fish and give the pan a good shake to distribute the sauce evenly. Cover and place over medium heat. Cook until the small clams are open, about 20 minutes. From time to time, shake the pan vigorously (hold the lid tight) rather than stirring, to avoid breaking up the fish.

When ready to serve, taste and add more salt if necessary, gently stir in the parsley and ladle the stew into bowls.