Cioppino - Italian Fish Soup

 

Cioppino brings back memories of tailgating in Candlestick Park with Thom and my parents.  Dad loved the San Francisco 49ers and had seasons tickets for many years.  A few times a year Thom and I would join my parents for a game.  We would leave early in the morning in order to tailgate and watch the 1:00pm game.   We had some wonderful tailgate meals, one was Cioppino.  Mom would make the base beforehand and get the fish ready.  All we had to do when we got to the park was heat up everything and enjoy.   This base is my mom's recipe, it's simple but so good.  Now we enjoy this delicious meal around Christmas time, to celebrate the birth of our Savior the "Fishers of Men". 

Base:
3/4 cups butter
2 medium onions chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley chopped
2 large cans tomatoes (1 lb. 12 oz. each)
2 cans (14 oz. each) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup white wine
1 Tablespoon basil leaves
1/2 tsp thyme  
1/2 tsp oregano
Melt butter, add onions garlic and parsley, sauté until onions are soft.  Add tomatoes, liquid and seasonings, cover and simmer 30 minutes.  The base can be make ahead.  If omitting wine increase water to 2 1/2 cups.
Add to the base:
1 pound shrimp (16-20 count) cleaned and deveined
1 pound Scallop
1 whole cooked Dungeness crab
1 pound clams
1 pound Cod, cut in 2" pieces

Clean and devein the shrimp.  After the Crab has been cleaned, remove the legs from the body, cut the remaining piece into quarters.  Add the seafood in the following order: first the cod, then the shrimp, scallops, and finally the clams and crab. Do not stir! Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the seafood is cooked and the clams are open.  Ladle into large shallow bowls, garnish with parsley and lemon wedge.  Serve with sour dough baguette.


**How to clean the crab: Turn the crab on its back and remove the triangular shaped flap called the “apron” and discard. Hold the crab vertically and pull the top shell (called the carapace) away from the body and set aside. Rinse and clean the top shell and reserve if you want to use in your presentation. Remove the gills/lungs and discard.