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Red Wine Cioppino

Chef Cal walks us through how to cook a pot of Italian Cioppino, using classic French prep cooking skills. Crab, lobster, scallops and cod are all married together with a deep red wine broth. This traditional family-get-together, all-hands-in, winter dish is meant to be served with bibs and lots of napkins. And don't forget the crusty sourdough on the side.


https://youtu.be/4HACWDzmSok

This recipe was featured online in an article in the Redding Record Searchlight, December 5, 2023

Cooking Method ,
Cuisine
Courses , ,
Difficulty Intermediate
Time
Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr
Servings 4
Best Season Winter
Description

An Italian stew brimming with fresh seafood in a rich red wine and tomato broth

Ingredients
    Tomato Broth
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic (minced)
  • 1 whole yellow onion (medium dice)
  • 1 cup carrots (large dice)
  • 2 pc celery ribs (large dice)
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning (dried)
  • 1 tbsp parsley (fresh, chopped)
  • 4 pc thyme (fresh sprigs)
  • 3 pc bay leaves (fresh)
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 can tomato sauce (29 oz)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz)
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 2-3 pinch kosher salt (to taste)
  • 3-6 g black pepper (fresh cracked, to taste)
    • Seafood
  • 2 pc lobster tail ((6) oz, split, shell on)
  • 8 pc shrimp scampi (whole, deveined, shell on)
  • 4-6 pc scallops
  • 8 pc manilla clams
  • 8 oz firm fin fish (1" cubed)
  • 1 whole crab (cracked, cleaned, split)
  • 8 oz clam juice (optional)
Instructions

  1. In large, heavy bottomed pot, heat oil and butter until medium hot; add garlic, onion, carrots, celery and herbs. Stir often with a wooden spoon and cook until vegetables just begin to soften and color, about 10 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water, as needed, throughout to help prevent sticking and burning. Add wine to deglaze, scraping any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and sugar. Heat and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Add lobster and simmer uncovered for another 6-7 minutes. Finally, add clams, fin fish and crab; heat through for an additional 5 minutes.

  2. Divide seafood and sauce between 2-4 large bowls, with the lobster and shrimp scampi placed on top.
    Garnish with fresh chopped parsley on top. Serve with a side of extra-sourdough bread for dipping in sauce, along with bibs, spoons, claw crackers and a shell discard bowl.

  3. This is a hands-on meal. Have lots of napkins at-the-ready too. A small bowl of warm water with a splash of lemon juice is also helpful for rinsing fingers occasionally.

Note

Chef’s Notes:
▶ Fresh bay leaves are best, especially if you are growing a Bay Laurel tree, but 1 dried leaf can also be used
▶ Use whichever red wine you are serving with your meal, we usually prefer a robust red wine such as Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon or an Old Vine varietal
▶ Firm fin fish can include cod, salmon, halibut, or swordfish
▶ If you are serving clam dip during the event of making this beautiful dish, you can take your drained and reserved clam juice, and add it to the sauce for extra flavor
▶ For even more flavor, wait until the next day and savor the leftovers - time melds the sauce even more

Read it online: https://culinarilyyours.net/recipe/red-wine-cioppino/
The DeMercurios
Chef and Mrs Chef

Instead of a New Year’s resolution, Christa DeMercurio asked her chef husband to be her tutor/mentor/sage (not the herb) for the 2018 year, teaching her his tips, tricks and wisdom in the culinary department. She figured that after over a decade together, their bakers dozen year should be a fun journey of cooking. Her husband, Cal DeMercurio, has been in the food service business since, well, forever (40-ish years). When it comes to the restaurant life, she's always been more comfortable in the Back Office and sometimes Front of the House, but never really ventured into the professional kitchen. She's obtained a few skills by observing her husband over the years and then experimenting here and there at home. Now she's taken her apprenticeship to the next level with him cooking side by side with her.

Thank you for cooking with us!   Culinarily Yours, Chef Cal and Christa DeMercurio