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				 Christmas Eve Cioppino 
 
			
			Been making this one for a while and've worked out the timing issues.
 Cioppino
 1/4 cup olive oil
 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
 1 tsp basil (dried), or 12-15 fresh leaves, chopped
 2 to 4 flat fillets of anchovies, drained
 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
 2 celery ribs, chopped
 1 medium onion, chopped
 1c good quality dry white wine
 14oz chicken stock
 32-oz can chunky crushed tomatoes
 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed (about 1 tablespoon)
 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
 1 1/2 pounds cod, cut into 2-inch chunks, season with salt and pepper
 8 large shrimp, ask for deveined easy-peel or peel and devein
 8 sea scallops or a quarter lb bay scallops
 16 to 20 raw mussels, scrubbed
 1 can of crab meat
 8 cherrystone clams
 1/4lb squid
 - free to try other fish or shellfish, cooking times may vary.
 Loaf of fresh, crusty bread
 Heat oil in a large pot over moderate heat,  add anchovies, let melt into oil
 Add garlic, let cook about a minute. add crushed pepper, basil and bay. add celery and onion. Saute vegetables for a few minutes to begin to soften and add wine. Reduce wine a minute, add chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, and parsley. Bring sauce to a soft boil and reduce heat to medium low.
 Add fish, cover pot and simmer 10 minutes, giving the pot a shake now and then. Do not stir soup with a spoon or it will break up fish. Add cherrystones and mussels cook for a few minutes, add shrimp cook for 3 minutes, add scallops and squid, and cover pot. Cook a few minutes until scallops and squid are opaque, giving the pot a good shake now and again.
 
 I make the broth in advance, reheat with a little more red pepper flakes and once hot, add fish, etc.
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