Savory Cioppino (Fishermans Stew) Recipe: A Coastal Delight

Delectable cioppino bursts with Mediterranean coastal charm, weaving together seafood treasures from San Francisco’s rich culinary heritage.

Fishermen along the wharf perfected this robust stew generations ago.

Tomato-based broths simmer with an ocean’s bounty of fresh catches.

Dungeness crab, tender shrimp, and succulent white fish dance within the aromatic liquid.

Herbs and spices whisper stories of Italian immigrant kitchens that first crafted this magnificent dish.

Crusty sourdough bread stands ready to soak up every last droplet of complex, savory goodness.

Cioppino: A Bowl of Comfort from the Coast

Quick and Easy Seafood Adventure: A Gourmet Delight for Busy Cooks

• Embrace Homemade Complexity: Transform complex restaurant-style seafood into a manageable home-cooking experience with straightforward steps and minimal professional kitchen skills required.
• Customize Your Seafood Symphony: Swap or mix seafood types based on availability, budget, and personal preferences, creating a flexible recipe that adapts to your pantry and taste.
• One-Pot Wonder Convenience: Minimize kitchen cleanup with a single-pot cooking method that combines stock preparation, sauce building, and seafood cooking in an efficient, time-saving process.
• Flavor-Packed Culinary Journey: Elevate your meal with rich, layered flavors from ingredients like saffron, Calabrian chili paste, and homemade seafood stock, delivering restaurant-quality taste at home.

Cioppino (Fisherman’s Stew) – Everything You’ll Use

• Salmon: Rich, fatty fish with a buttery flavor, skin provides crispy texture.
• Scallops: Sweet, delicate seafood with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth quality.
• Shrimp: Adds sweet, briny seafood element with delicate texture.
• Halibut: Mild white fish with firm, flaky texture, adds protein diversity.
• Mussels: Brings oceanic flavor and unique shellfish element to the stew.
• Pancetta: Provides rich, salty pork base for depth of flavor.

• Onion, Shallots: Creates foundational savory base for the stew.
• Garlic: Adds intense, aromatic flavor throughout the dish.
• Tarragon: Offers delicate, herbal note to finish the sauce.
• Chives: Fresh, mild onion-like garnish for brightness.
• Fennel: Provides subtle anise-like background flavor.

• White Wine: Adds acidity and depth to the seafood stock and sauce.
• Olive Oil: Essential for sautéing and building flavor layers.
• Tomato Paste: Concentrates tomato flavor and thickens sauce.
• Roasted Tomatoes: Provides deep, sweet-tangy tomato base.
• Calabrian Chili Paste: Adds spicy, complex heat to the stew.
• Saffron: Introduces luxurious, golden color and unique flavor.
• Bay Leaves, Black Peppercorns: Adds depth and aromatic complexity to stock.
• Salt, Pepper: Essential seasoning for balancing flavors.

• Ciabatta: Rustic bread perfect for soaking up rich stew.
• Butter: Provides richness and helps bread crisp in.

Cioppino Stew Instructions Fishermen Would Approve

Step 1: Craft Seafood Broth

Create a flavorful seafood stock by heating olive oil in a pan.

Toss in shrimp shells and black peppercorns, sautéing them until they release their aromatic essence.

Splash white wine to deglaze the pan and unlock deeper flavors.

• Onion
• Celery
• Carrots

Introduce bay leaves, salt, and pepper.

Pour in water and let the mixture simmer gently, covered, for 30-45 minutes.

Strain the liquid, preserving the rich, oceanic broth.

Step 2: Build Robust Sauce Foundation

Warm a Dutch oven and introduce olive oil with pancetta, cooking until it turns wonderfully crispy.

Incorporate onions and shallots, softening them to release their sweet notes.

• Tomato paste
• Calabrian chili paste
• Saffron
• Fennel
• Garlic

Deglaze with white wine, then add roasted tomatoes and prepared seafood stock.

Let the sauce develop its character by simmering for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Create Herbed Bread Companions

Preheat the oven to a toasty 350°F.

• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Salt

Bake until the bread transforms into golden, crispy perfection.

Step 4: Sear Ocean Treasures

Heat a skillet to medium-high temperature.

• Salmon (crispy skin-side down)
• Scallops
• Shrimp
• Halibut

Ensure each piece reaches golden magnificence and perfect doneness.

Step 5: Assemble Delicious Masterpiece

Enrich the tomato sauce with tarragon and butter.

Add mussels, covering until they dramatically open their shells.

Remove halibut skin.

Ladle the vibrant sauce into bowls, arranging the seafood artfully on top.

Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper and chives.

Serve alongside the herbed bread for a complete culinary experience.

Seafood Stew Success Tips for Classic Cioppino

• Roast shrimp shells before simmering to intensify the seafood stock's depth and richness.
• Sear seafood separately to prevent overcooking and maintain perfect texture for each type of fish and shellfish.
• Always discard unopened mussels after cooking to ensure food safety and prevent potential foodborne illness.
• Adjust Calabrian chili paste quantity to match your preferred heat intensity, making the dish mild or fiery.
• Toast ciabatta slices just before serving to maintain maximum crispness and complement the rich, hearty stew.

Reheat Cioppino (Fisherman’s Stew) Properly

• Store leftover cioppino in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Seafood can become tough when stored longer, so consume quickly for the best taste and texture.
• Freeze the tomato base separately from seafood to prevent overcooking. Place in freezer-safe containers and store for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
• Gently warm the cioppino in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of seafood stock or white wine to restore moisture and prevent drying out. Avoid boiling to maintain the delicate seafood's tenderness.
• When reheating, consider adding fresh seafood to replace any that might have become tough during storage. This helps restore the original vibrant flavors and ensures a delicious second serving.

Best Pairings for Cioppino Stew

• Wine Pairing: Select a crisp, acidic white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio that cuts through the rich, tomato-based seafood stew and complements the delicate flavors of the various seafood.
• Bread Companion: Serve the garlic oregano ciabatta alongside the cioppino for dunking, allowing guests to soak up the flavorful tomato broth and enjoy added texture and herbal notes.
• Citrus Side Salad: Create a light, zesty mixed green salad with lemon vinaigrette to provide a refreshing counterpoint to the hearty, robust stew and cleanse the palate between bites.
• Herbal Garnish Upgrade: Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley or cilantro over the cioppino to add brightness, enhance the seafood's natural flavors, and provide a clean, aromatic finish to the dish.

Fisherman’s Stew Seafood Swaps

• Gluten-Free Cioppino: Replace ciabatta bread with gluten-free cornbread or rice crackers. Use tamari instead of traditional soy sauce and ensure all stock ingredients are certified gluten-free.
• Vegetarian Ocean Stew: Swap seafood with firm tofu, hearts of palm, and king oyster mushrooms. Create a rich vegetable stock using kombu, dried shiitake, and roasted vegetable trimmings for depth of flavor.
• Low-Sodium Adaptation: Eliminate added salt, use no-salt seafood stock, and replace pancetta with smoked paprika for similar richness. Enhance flavors with fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary.
• Paleo-Friendly Version: Remove bread entirely. Use cauliflower rice as base. Select wild-caught seafood varieties, replace tomato paste with roasted red peppers, and use coconut oil instead of olive oil for cooking.

FAQs

• Is Cioppino a traditional Italian dish?

While Cioppino originated in San Francisco, it was created by Italian-American fishermen who adapted their classic seafood soup recipes from their homeland, blending Mediterranean cooking styles with local California seafood.

• What type of seafood can I use in Cioppino?

You can customize your Cioppino with various seafood like salmon, halibut, shrimp, scallops, and mussels. Choose fresh, seasonal seafood based on availability and personal preference.

• Why is making seafood stock important for this recipe?

Homemade seafood stock adds depth and rich flavor to the base sauce, enhancing the overall taste of the Cioppino by extracting intense seafood essences from shrimp shells and aromatic vegetables.

• Can I make Cioppino spicy?

Yes, you can adjust the spice level by adding more Calabrian chili paste or including red pepper flakes. The recipe already includes Calabrian chili paste, which provides a moderate heat level.

Cioppino (Fishermans Stew) Recipe

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• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

San Francisco’s legendary Cioppino brings Mediterranean seafood magic to your kitchen, blending Italian and Portuguese fishing traditions with a rich, tomato-based broth packed with fresh ocean treasures. Sailors’ comfort meets gourmet delight, inviting you to savor each spoonful of this hearty, soul-warming stew.

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Ingredients

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Seafood:

• 1 lb black mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 8 scallops
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 oz salmon (skin-on)
• 12 oz halibut (skin removed after cooking)

Aromatics and Base Ingredients:

• 4 oz pancetta
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, shaved
• 28 oz roasted tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Calabrian chili paste
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter

Herbs, Spices, and Finishing Touches:

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 1 tablespoon tarragon
• Chives, to taste

For Seafood Stock:

• Shrimp shells (reserved from the shrimp)
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 cups water

For Garlic Oregano Bread:

• 8 slices ciabatta bread
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oreg

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Instructions

1. Craft a robust seafood stock by sautéing shrimp shells with peppercorns in olive oil, deglazing with white wine, then adding aromatic vegetables and simmering for 30-45 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid for the stew’s foundation.
2. Render pancetta in a Dutch oven until crisp, then incorporate onions and shallots, developing a rich flavor base. Intensify the mixture with tomato paste, Calabrian chili paste, saffron, fennel, and garlic, creating a complex aromatic profile.
3. Deglaze the vegetable mixture with white wine, then introduce roasted tomatoes and prepared seafood stock. Allow the sauce to simmer gently, melding the flavors for approximately 30 minutes.
4. Prepare the garlic oregano bread by brushing ciabatta with butter and seasoning with garlic powder, oregano, and salt. Toast in a preheated oven until achieving a golden, crisp texture.
5. Carefully sear each type of seafood – salmon, scallops, shrimp, and halibut – ensuring a perfect golden exterior while maintaining a tender interior.
6. Finish the sauce by incorporating tarragon and butter, then gently steam the mussels until they dramatically pop open. Discard any unopened shellfish.
7. Assemble the dish by ladling the rich tomato sauce into serving bowls, artfully arranging the various seafood pieces on top. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and delicate chives, serving alongside the crisp garlic oregano bread.

Notes

• Choose fresh, high-quality seafood for the most vibrant and authentic flavor profile in your Cioppino.
• Customize the seafood selection based on seasonal availability and personal preferences, mixing different types of fish and shellfish.
• Toast the saffron threads briefly before adding to enhance its rich, aromatic essence and deepen the overall complexity of the stew.
• If avoiding alcohol, replace white wine with seafood stock or clam juice to maintain the depth of flavor without compromising the recipe’s integrity.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 30 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg