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Classic Cioppino Stew (Fish Stew)

White Shallow Bowl Filled with Tomato Based Red Stew with carrots, shrimp, and clams.
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EatSimpleFood.com

This Cioppino recipe will blow your mind.  Cioppino is a chunky Italian fish stew with a tomato base. Ingredient wise, it can be a little intimidating but that's life y'all - sometimes ya gotta put in the work for a beautiful recipe.

Ingredients

  • 24 littleneck clams, rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup onions, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 3 anchovy fillets, minced
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups white wine
  • 1 (28 ounce) Muir Glen crushed tomatoes with basil
  • water that the clams were boiled in
  • 2 1/2 cups fish broth / stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 Tbsp fresh chiffonade basil
  • 2 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 1/4 lb white fish, cubed  (3/4") - i.e. cod, tile fish, tilapia, wreck fish, amberjack, sea bass, grouper
  • 1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 Tbsp (~ 1 lemon) fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped - as garnish
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated - optional as garnish
  • 1 large Baguette or crusty bread - optional for dippin'

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot with 2" of water to a boil and add rinsed clams.  Boil covered until opened (~ 8-10 minutes).  Take them out one at a time as they open and set aside and cover.  Reserve the cooking water for the stew and set aside.  There may be some sand that settles to the bottom that you will to strain out and discard.
  • Bring the same pot to medium high heat and add olive oil.  Reduce heat to medium and add onions, carrots, and celery.  Cook covered for ~ 8 minutes or until soft.  
  • Add anchovies and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.  
  • Add white wine, tomatoes, clam water (minus any sand!), fish stock, bay leaf, basil, oregano, salt, and crushed red pepper.  
  • Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered ~ 20 minutes.
  • Add fish and shrimp and cook uncovered for ~ 3-5 minutes or until fish and shrimp are cooked through.
  • Remove from heat and add clams and lemon juice.  
  • Add salt to taste.  Serve in bowls and top with fresh Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.  Serve with crusty bread if you like.

Notes

  • You can use other varieties of canned tomatoes but sometimes other crushed varieties are more like tomato sauce and you want some tomato chunks. You can substitute canned diced tomatoes with juices
  • Make fresh fish stock out of the shrimp peels, fish carcass, vegetable peels, and random carrots/celery/herbs.  Add enough water to cover by ~ 1 1/2 inches, bring to a boil, and simmer covered ~ 30 -45 minutes.

Find it online: https://eatsimplefood.com/cioppino-fish-stew/