San Francisco stole my heart during my first visit many years ago. On that trip, my cousin, Delia, and my best friend, Bill, joined me for a trek up the Northern California coast to Ashland, Oregon. We spent the first few days exploring and eating our way through the city. Known for its cuisine, San Francisco did not disappoint us with its plethora of culinary offerings.
I first experienced cioppino at a small, intimate, Italian seafood restaurant in the city. Torn between several entrees that were all equally droolworthy, we decided to turn the evening into a food orgy and order them all. After a couple of hours with glasses of wine; plates of shrimp, scallops, dover sole, and dungeness crab; and a bowl of cioppino, we waddled out of the restaurant engorged, but happy.
Cioppino originated in the North Beach area of San Francisco by Italian immigrants in the mid to late nineteenth century. Local fisherman pitched in leftovers from the day’s catch, including dungeness crab, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and fish, to a communal pot with wine, tomatoes, and herbs. The origins of the name remain unclear, but some say that dish’s name comes from the word ciuppin, meaning “to chop” or “chopped”.
I’ve been making cioppino for years and when served with sourdough garlic bread, it’s always a big hit at my dinner table. The good news is that it’s a very light and healthy dinner if, and I repeat, if, you don’t OD on the garlic bread!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
2 cup chopped shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups seafood stock (or chicken stock)
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound bay scallops
18 to 24 mussels
1 1/2 pound salmon (or your favorite fish) , cut into 3/4 inch pieces
Fennel fronds (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Transfer fennel and shallots to pot and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and continue sauteing for 1 minute.
2. Add seafood stock, wine, and tomatoes and stir to combine. Add bay leaf, salt, red and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. Add mussels to the pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp and salmon and continue to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add scallops and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve immediately with fennel frond garnish and crusty sourdough garlic bread.
https://southernboydishes.com/2014/01/24/cioppino/
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You know how everyone has that one dish that they always order when it’s on the menu. Well, cioppino is my husband’s dish. He’s on the prowl for the best cioppino. After seeing yours, I think this might just be it! Beautiful dish Bill!
Hi Bill!
Gorgeous photography and excellent recipe. Martine just posted on Cioppino also – such a great soup!
Great to meet you this weekend and I look forward to keeping tabs on you in the future. In a friendly, supportive way – not in a creepy stalker way.
Jx
Thank you so much, Jessica! So glad to have met you and I look forward to following you and Martine!
Cioppino is quite popular in SF, with some of the freshest ingredients . Yours looks so so good. I’ve never made it at home, have to give this one a shot.
Pinning for later.
Thanks, Ash! I’m behind on following my favorite blogs and yours is at the top of my list. I’ll be by soon!
Oh, lately I’ve been thinking about making cioppino again! It’s such a great dish, and a real favorite of mine. Tons of flavor, and pretty light, as you say. Your version looks superlative! Great food styling and photos too. Really nice – thanks.
Always appreciate your comments, John!
Here in Seattle we have some of the best and freshest Cioppino and I believe I’ve tried them all! For some reason I have never made it but looking forward to trying your recipe…but first, a trip to Pike Place Market for the ingredients…always a good day there! Lovely post!
Kathi
I’m so jealous of your access to Pike Place Market! We’re a little landlocked in Atlanta so all our seafood is shipped in. Thanks so much for dropping by, Kathi!
Sounds perfect for a cold day and the pictures are beautiful!
Connie
Thank you so much, Connie!
We love Cioppino, and make it often. Something I have never put in mine is the fennel, and we love fennel. Can’t wait to try it with fennel. Love your blog.
I love the fennel in this recipe. It adds a great background flavor. Let me know if you like the fennel in the recipe.
not a fan of seafood…not a fan of soups…but damn i wanna try it because it looks so good despite those facts.
That’s a nice compliment, Andrew! I appreciate your visit to SBD.
Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks for dropping by, Steve!
Gorgeous as always!! I want to dive into that bowl and eat my way out.
Thanks, Renee. Missed seeing you at FoodBlogSouth!