Cioppino or Zuppa Di Pesce (Italian Fish and Seafood Stew) – This hearty stew is an Italian tradition that can be enjoyed year round, but is very popular around Christmas time.
This hearty stew is one of my favorite dishes to make.
In Italy we would traditionally make this on Christmas Eve, following our Italian Christian/Catholic traditions where we could only eat fish or seafood on that day.
It’s delicate but extremely flavorful, and perfect for anytime of the year!
If you try this recipe let us know what you think! Leave a comment below, rate it, share it on social media, or take a picture and tag it #orgasmikcooking on Instagram! We LOVE seeing what you guys cook up. 🙂
Happy Holidays and Buon Appetito friends!
Cioppino or Zuppa Di Pesce (Italian Fish and Seafood Stew)
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Stew, Soup
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
For the Salsa Di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce)
- 3 Tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- 1/4 of a medium size Yellow Onion chopped
- 1 Tbs Minced Garlic
- 3 cups of San Marzano D.O.P. Plums Tomatoes ( You can substitute 24oz (3 cups) Italian Organic Strained Tomatoes for faster cooking)
- 1 Tbs Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- 10 fresh Basil Leaves julienned
For the Stew
- 8-10 Tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) divided
- 4 Cloves Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Crushed Red Chili Pepper
- 20 Clams
- 20 Mussels
- 2 cup Dry White Wine divided
- 16 Jumbo Shrimp
- 4 Langostinos
- 12 Scallops
- 2 cup Calamari/Squid
- Pinch of Salt
- 20 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes halved
- 4 Tbs finely chopped Italian Parsley
- 2 fillets (14 oz) divided into 4 pieces of Mahi-Mahi or any white fish you prefer
- 1 1/2 cups Fish Stock or hot water
- 4-8 slices of toasted rustic bread for dipping
Instructions
Start by preparing the Salsa Di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce)
- Crush Tomatoes by hand in a bowl for a chunkier sauce or blend in food processor for a more smooth texture (depending on your preference)
- In medium saucepan add EVOO and heat over medium heat until oil is warm
- Add Onion, sauté 2-3 minutes until softened and lightly golden
- Add Garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes
- Add Tomatoes
- Add Salt, Pepper, cook for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally or until sauce is bubbling and is thickened and water is absorbed
- Turn off heat and stir in Basil for about 1 minute
For the Stew
- In a large pot add 4-5 Tbs EVOO and heat over medium heat
- When oil is warm add Garlic, sauté 1 minute
- Add Crushed Red Chili Pepper, sauté 1 minute
- In sequence add Clams and Mussels, cook until they start to open
- Add in 1 cup of the White Wine and cook until evaporated
- Remove Clams and Mussels and set aside
- In the same pot add 4-5 Tbs EVOO to the juice leftover from Clams and Mussels
- Add Shrimp, Langostinos, Scallops, Calamari, and a pinch of Salt
- Turn heat up to med/high and stir for about 1 minute
- Blush with the remainder of White Wine
- Add Tomatoes and Salsa Di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce) that was made in the beginning
- Add Parsley, cook 2-3 minutes reducing the heat to medium
- Add fillet of fish divided into 4 pieces
- Add Clams and Mussels back to pot
- Add Fish Stock or hot water and cook about 4 minutes or until fillet of fish is cooked all the way through and flaky in texture
- Taste and add more Salt if desired
- Add extra Parsley of desired and serve with Crostini Bread
Notes
To save time you can substitute the recipe for the Salsa Di Pomodoro with store bought Tomato Sauce (about 3 cups), but please note it will not be as flavorful. To get the most authentic flavor from this stew, we recommend preparing the Tomato Sauce from scratch as directed above.
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