Cioppino

Posted by thibeaultstable on
So sad …..Halibut season ended Thursday.  
For the next four months I’ll have to settle for frozen halibut.
It was my last chance to have fresh halibut and I wanted to do something special.
Decided to pair the halibut with Dungeness crab 

and clams and mussels and make a Cioppino.
Served with crusty baguette to sop up all the wonderful sauce.
I don’t follow a recipe when making Cioppino.  It varies depending on what fresh seafood is available.
Use the following recipe as a “guide”.

Cioppino

Basic Outline.

1 small onion or shallot, chopped
2 to 3 cloves minced garlic
dried chili pepper flakes (to taste)
1/2 cup white wine
chicken broth
1 can quality Italian tomatoes
fresh Italian parsley
dried basil
oregano
fresh basil

Fresh Seafood (options)
Whole Dungeness Crabs, cut in half.
Halibut
Clams
Mussels
Prawns or Shrimp
Scallops

Saute onion in a little butter until translucent.    Add the garlic and chili pepper.  Saute one minute.  Add white wine, chicken broth and the tomatoes.  (Break tomatoes up with fingers.  Don’t puree).  Add parsley. Season with dried basil and oregano (to suit your own taste) .  I use more basil than oregano).  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to meld flavours.  

Add seafood in order that it takes to cook.  ie.  Crab first, then halibut, clams, mussels.

Serve in deep bowls , garnish with fresh chopped  basil and serve with lots of crusty baguette.

 

8 Comments Add yours

  1. Kathy Walker says:
    November 10, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    Delicious! I love the variations of this dish and am partial to a spicy sauce!

  2. Brenda S Okie in Colorado says:
    November 10, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    My favorite meal, EVER!!! This looks delicious, Ann.

  3. Schnitzel and the Trout says:
    November 10, 2012 at 9:26 pm

    That looks so good. You are fortunate to even have a halibut season!!!!! I will try this recipe with frozen. Thank you, once again, for cooking the daylights out of your kitchen. You are my favorite cook!!!!

  4. Thibeault's Table says:
    November 11, 2012 at 3:34 am

    Thanks Kate. Yes, that is what I like about this dish too. Lots of ways to adapt it. ~Ann

  5. Thibeault's Table says:
    November 11, 2012 at 3:35 am

    Thanks Brenda.

  6. Thibeault's Table says:
    November 11, 2012 at 3:39 am

    Thanks Susan. You are right, I am fortunate. Halibut is my favourite fish. And the season is a long season. Usually from March to November. And I have a wonderful little seafood shop in Cowichan Bay that I stop at on the way home from work. They always have a couple of tanks full of live Dungeness crab, and a variety of west coast fish and shellfish. ~Ann

  7. Big Dude says:
    November 11, 2012 at 11:11 pm

    I sure wish I was your good friend and neighbor at the end of halibut season – this looks to die for.

  8. Cathy says:
    November 15, 2012 at 1:42 am

    Crab season opens here in a few weeks and your recipe will be one of the first ones I try. The broth sounds so flavorful. This is one of my favorite ways of preparing shellfish.

Leave a comment