As many Californians know, “Cioppino” (pronounced “CHIP-PINO!) is a favorite Christmas Eve meal. Some cooks make it as a hearty soup while others prefer the thick taste of a stew.
There are many stories on the origin of the name and the recipe for Cioppino. My favorite tale centers around fisherman returning with their catch being asked to ‘chip in’ some of their catch to the communal pot; others say this great dish had its roots in Genoa, Italy. Either way, the roots of this dish are definitely from San Francisco where it still is a popular everyday meal!
This was one of my late father-in-laws favorite meals and he loved fishing through the shells for the little treasures of meat. However, although the obstacles of shells make the dining experience more interesting; I remove all of the shells prior to the final assembly.Yes, I still cook the mussels in their shells and retain the water and flavor to start a nice fish stock. Our Cioppino contains whatever we have on hand along with some special shopping when necessary. Shrimp, langostino, clams, penn cove mussels, scallops, crab, wild cockles headline the dish… but my fish of preference is Talapia.
Cioppino is like a seafood gumbo without the ‘rouge.’ However, if you miss the thicker sauce, you can compensate with more tomato and it transforms into a stew. Everyone loves a little wine into the recipe and the choices very. Many like a bit of bite to the sauce and will add a range of things to meet that requirement… from Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco Sauce to orange juice and capers. I like to add a bit of Pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika).
Now that I have what I need, I can rest until the 24th. It’s worth the preparation.