I have been on a serious soup craving as of late, with all the chilly nights we've been experiencing. It started last week with a chiropractic appointment for my daughters that went into overtime and we got out late. I looked at my watch and said, "I'm not cooking, we're stopping at Panera to pick up dinner!" (which is a very rare statement for me to make on short notice). I have to admit, that was the best chicken and wild rice soup I have had in a very long time - definitely hit the spot!
This Cioppino, I decided to tackle during one of our ENS nights (Empty Nest Syndrome), while the girls were at a tournament. I don't know why I had been so intimidated by the soup (aka "Fisherman's Stew"), it was one of the easiest and most flavorful and fun dinners to make.
For Chilly Nights
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and chopped finely
3 Tbl. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. dried red chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in juice
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup full bodied red wine (like Zinfandel)
1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice (or fish stock)
1/2 pound mussels, scrubbed, debearded
1/2 pound manila clams, scrubbed
1/2 pound halibut, cut into 2 inch chunks
1/2 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound scallops
1/2 pound cooked snow crab legs, shells cracked and meat removed (discard shells)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 loaf rustic crusty baguette
Heat olive oil in a 5 to 6 quart heavy pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions, garlic, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and salt. Cook covered over medium heat, stirring once or twice until onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
Add tomato paste, tomatoes with their juice, water, red wine and clam juice. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer covered about 30 minutes, until the flavors blend.
Add the clams and mussels to the cooking liquid. Cover and cook until the clams and mussels begin to open, about 5-10 minutes. Add the halibut, shrimp, scallops and snow crab meat. Simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through and the clams are completely open, stirring gently, about 5 minutes longer.
Discard any clams or mussels that do not open and discard the bay leaf. Season the soup, to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Squeeze a little of the lemon wedge over the soup and serve with rustic baguette (for some serious mopping up of all that yummy goodness).
One Year Ago: Sweet Shrimp and Spicy Sausage Skewers
Two Years Ago: Pear Tart
Yes, it was that good - he went for seconds and thirds!!
