Cioppino ~ Seafood Stew

Recipe provided by Chef Crusco Catering in Austin, Texas Ingredients (serves 8)
  • 3 tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 tbsps. unsalted butter
  • 2 Yellow Onions – coarsely chopped
  • 2 Fennel Bulbs – coarsely chopped (save fennel fronds for garnish)
  • 6 garlic cloves – roughly chopped
  • 3 tsps. pimenton (smoked paprika)
  • 2 tbsps. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. red-pepper flakes
  • 4 dried bay leaf
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • 2.5 cups homemade tomato sauce
  • 2.5 cups homemade or store bought stock (fish, vegetable or chicken)
  • 24 littleneck clams – cleaned and scrubbed well
  • 24 PEI Mussels – cleaned, debearded and scrubbed well
  • 2 Filets firm white fish (swordfish, halibut or red snapper) – cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 16 U10 Shrimp – peeled and deveined (tails left on if desired)
  • 4 King crab legs, separated into 2 pieces at the joint
  • Coarse Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Baguette or Ciabatta – sliced lengthwise and split in two
  • Pecorino Romano Cheese
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 1/2 butter onto the baguette slices and sprinkle with Pecorino. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil and the rest of the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, fennel and garlic until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Stir in pimenton, tomato paste, oregano, red-pepper flakes, and bay leaf.
  4. Lower the heat and cook a few minutes until the paste turns maroon in color. Increase the heat to high, add the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add half the tomato sauce and stock and then bring to a simmer.
  5. Cook 20-30 min’s to allow the flavors to combine. Turn off heat & remove bay leaves. Place sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Add back to the pot with the rest of the tomato sauce & stock. Bring to a simmer.
  6. Taste again and reseason if necessary with salt and pepper.
  7. Add clams and mussels. Simmer, covered, until clam shells and mussels open. Discard any that do not open. Season fish with salt and pepper. Add fish, shrimp and king crab legs to the Pot.
  8. Simmer, covered, until fish is opaque and shrimp/crab are pink which only takes about  3-4 minutes.
  9. Remove pot from heat. Stir in parsley. Taste and reseason with salt and pepper if needed.
  10. Bake the baguette slices until the cheese melts and the bread turns golden and/or charred on the edges.
  11. To serve ladle sauce into each bowl and add 2-3 clams, mussels, shrimp and fish pieces and one King crab leg.
  12. Garnish with more fresh parsley and a Pecorino Crouton (for dipping). Enjoy!