cioppino

Cioppino is the kind of dish that one should only make and serve on a special occasion. It shouldn't be a 40 dollar whole foods run on a Monday night when you are not cooking for anyone but yourself! I had the pleasure of having this soup for not only one meal, but three. Oh and also, my number one food fan Josh came over and had a bowl too.

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 tbsp. butter

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 medium carrots,chopped

1 leek, white part only, trimmed, cleaned, and chopped

1 28-oz. can crushed Italian tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 cup white wine

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried basil

2 pinches cayenne

Salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 pound halibut filet, cut into large pieces

8 sea scallops

15 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1–2 cups flour

1 crab

1⁄2 bunch parsley, chopped

parm

Directions

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil and 4 tbsp. of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Add carrots and leeks and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 cups water, 1 cup white wine, oregano, thyme, basil, and cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 min- 1 hour.

Clean and crack crab. Cut crab into four pieces, set aside.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil, 4 tbsp. butter, and garlic in a large, heavy skillet over high heat until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Dredge halibut, scallops, and shrimp in flour, and fry, turning seafood frequently, until golden, 1–2 minutes. Transfer seafood and crab to soup, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes. Serve with parm on top.