1 onion, chopped
½ cup green onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
One 1-pound, 3 oz. can tomatoes OR
One container of diced tomatoes from deli
1 ⅓ cups tomato purée
Old Bay Seasoning, about 6 shakes
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 can clams, chopped
1 quart oysters, with liquid
1 crab or crab legs
12 shelled and deveined shrimps
12 scallops
Cook onions and garlic in oil for a few minutes.
Add remaining ingredients except broth and seafood.
Bring to boil, cover, and simmer two hours, stirring
occasionally. Add broth and cook for 10 minutes. Add
seafood and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Serve with warm garlic toast.
Cioppino is a dramatic dish that can take any table setting over the top. I was in the Bay Area the first time I saw it served. The waiter was walking by with two large bowls of what looked like crab legs. I wondered how the chef could get such large food in the bowls! I stopped the waiter as soon as I could to ask for the name of the entrée he just served. I think I even asked him to spell Cioppino because I wanted to be sure I knew the name of it. I ordered it on the spot and it is still my first choice when I order seafood.
- The small plates with the fish decorations are from a Lazy Susan Chip & Dip Set. The plates have an important function on the table because they are a good place to put all the shells.
- The lobster bibs were bought from the store where I bought the seafood. They not only added to the theme of the dinner, they were necessary! Cioppino is delicious but messy.