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The Perfect Cioppino to Ring in the New Year

December 27, 2018 by fourseasonsofautumn No Comments
Seafood is sort of a New Year’s tradition for James and I. We love to stay home and prepare a nice meal and appetizers. Call me boring but it’s the perfect way to ring in a New Year. This year we’re making Cioppino! I had to experiment ahead of time to get the recipe right and I’m so excited with how it all turned out! It’s the perfect Cioppino to ring in the new year!
  • Perfect Cioppino
This is seriously so good! It’s healthy, too! It’s so delicious it doesn’t seem right about how healthy it is! But I’m telling you, this is incredibly flavorful! If you make this dish, definitely go all out and get good quality seafood. It’s totally worth it!
  • Perfect Cioppino
James and I went to an amazing lobster pound in Maine a couple years ago and when we got home we learned they ship lobster! So, we had some recently sent to us and this was the perfect way to use it! Good quality seafood is essential in Cioppino.
  • Perfect Cioppino
Cioppino is basically fish stew with a tomato based broth. This dish is nice because you can add a variety of different fish and shellfish. So, you don’t need a lot of one thing. Variety is key in this dish. We used Maine Lobster, Shrimp, Scallops, Muscles, and Cod fillets.
  • Perfect Cioppino
  • Perfect Cioppino
A good white wine and a pinch saffron also help bring an incredible depth of flavor to this dish. It’s best to make your own seafood stock. However, I didn’t have time so I used a combination of bottled clam juice and vegetable stock.
  • Perfect Cioppino
I can’t wait to make this again! It’s such a fun dish to make with your significant other, too. On New Year’s we plan to celebrate with Lukas and indulge on some appetizers. Then when we put him to bed, we’re going pop some bubbly and make this dish together! I’m so excited! Cheers! xoxo
  • Perfect Cioppino
Oh by the way – a good crusty baguette or homemade crostini is a must with this dish! You need something to help sop up all the yummy liquid with! Anything less than good quality bread would be a shame! Trust me!

Perfect Cioppino

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Cioppino

  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp dried oregeno
  • 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 cups dry white wine
  • 8 oz bottled clam juice
  • 3 cups chicken or homemade seafood stock
  • 28 oz whole tomatoes with juices
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 small lobster tails, cooked and meat removed
  • 2 fillets cod
  • 1 lb muscles, scrubbed,debearded
  • 1 lb bay scallops
  • 1 lb uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail on
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • 2 tbsp parsley for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In large stock pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, and fennel. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, saffron, and saute 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Add tomatoes with their juices, wine, clam juice stock and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
  • Add the mussels to the liquid. Cover and cook until the clams and mussels begin to open, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, lobster and fish. Simmer until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through, and the muscles are completely open, stirring gently, about 5 minutes longer (discard any mussels that do not open). Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.
  • Serve the soup with a crusty baguette or prepared crostini. 

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