Sometimes I call it Zuppa Di Pesce, and sometimes I call it Cioppino. Zuppa is Italian, and Cioppino is from San Francisco, but they are essentially the same idea. Assortments of fish are cooked in a white wine and tomato broth with other aromatics and served with bread to soak up the broth. The last few weeks we made it with monkfish, which I had never used before. This week week we are replacing the monkfish with salmon. I will probably bring the monkfish back, but I have to special order it and missed the cutoff time (don’t tell anyone!). Here is our recipe:
Cioppino – serves 2
12 clams
6 oz. salmon, cut into chunks (you can use any fish that won’t fall apart during cooking)
6-8 large shrimp
5-6 slices of garlic
1 tsp. diced ginger
1 tsp. nonpareil capers
1/2 c. chopped tomato
1/4 c. white wine
1/4 c. tomato sauce
2 tbsp. butter
lemon
salt
pepper
cilantro leaves
toast
1. Over high heat, oil a saute pan and add the garlic, salmon, clams and shrimp. As the garlic browns, add the chopped tomato, ginger and capers. Flip the shrimp, and allow to cook for 30-60 seconds. Add the white wine, tomato sauce, and enough water to bring the broth at least halfway up to the level of the fish. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Remove the shrimp from the pan so they don’t overcook. Cover the pan and turn down to a simmer until the clams have opened and the salmon is cooked through. Return the shrimp to the pan and add the butter. Taste the broth for seasoning.
3. Rub your toast with a piece of garlic and drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve your cioppino in large bowls, but don’t pour the last bit of broth out of the pan, as it may contain some sand from the clams. Top with cilantro leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.