Jack's Cioppino
(Serves 6-8; you can easily double or triple it)
3 tablespoons olive oil (many recipes use butter; I don't)
1 large fennel bulb, halved & thinly sliced, tough outer leaves removed
1 onion, rough chopped
3 large shallots, chopped
2 teaspoons salt (at least maybe more--let your taste buds be the guide)
some fresh ground pepper
4 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups dry white wine, and pour a tumbler for yourself
5 cups fish stock (If you buy whole raw shrimp, boil their shells and tails in a cup and a half of water. I also often use clam nectar or clam base. Both is good)
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes, (I was thinking of trying a habanero instead. Or just mince a bird pepper, or hot chilies, or use a few shakes of Tabasco or Sri Racha.
2 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried, or fresh, oregano
chopped parsley
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pound manila clams, scrubbed
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 pounds firm-fleshed fish fillet. I use fresh Puget Sound Rockfish (aka "snapper") or fresh (and for a few months each year, frozen), Alaska Sockeye. (I have considered also trying smoked Salmom too).
Optional: In the northwest, buy Dungeness Crab and toss a handful on top at the end.
Optional: Squid, added at the very end, cooked maybe 1 minute--flash cooking in oliv e oil keeps it tender
Optional: Scallops. Split in half, in the very last 2 minutes before serving.
Optional: Fat chunks of Maine Lobster
Optional: garnish with some preserved lemon
Heat oil in a big pot over medium heat. Add fennel, onion, shallots, and salt and saute until onion is translucent. Add garlic and your pepper or chili and saute two minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and tomatoes with their juices, and the wine, fish stock, and the herbs. Cover and simmer slow for 30 minutes.
Add Worcestershire (a teaspoon or so) and the clams (or mussels). Cook until the clams begin to open, about 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and fish. Simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through, and the clams are completely open. This only takes a couple of minutes. Remove from heat! This is key. Don't overcook the fish. Error on the side of under-done! Remember the fish will be sitting in hot stock.
Season with salt if needed and add chopped parsley and optional preserved lemon. Ladle into bowls. Serve with sturdy bread (in SF it's always sourdough), for dipping, and a delicious red wine (Cotes du Rhone, Rioja, a Bordeaux, or even a great Cabernet).
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