Cioppino Night

What could be better than your own delicious Cioppino recipe on a Friday(opps, Thursday) night?

GOING OUT TO DINNER AND HAVE SOMEONE SERVE YOU A DELICIOUS CIOPPINO!!!!

Yes, yummy, after a full quilting day hubby says " I feel like Cioppino".. MUSIC, I tell ya, to my ears!!!

CIAO BELLA, Embarcadero, Morro Bay.. Delish! The best part? I didnt cook it! I didnt serve it! I didnt shop for the fresh fishes! I just got dressed, spritzed some perfume, brushed my teeth, and Voila! I was fed! OMG I love that.

BUT.................. Of course theres a but, come on.. its me! Heres my Cioppino recipe, go make it, no wait!!!! Have your buddy or your hubby make it for you!

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped fine ( of course I like sweet Maui Wowies)

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1 bay leaf

a 28-to 32-ounce can whole tomatoes including juice, puréed coarse ( Use fresh when in season)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 pounds hard-shelled crab legs

12 small hard-shelled clams, scrubbed well

1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled, leaving tails

1/2 pound sea scallops

1 pound white fish fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces ( sub halibut sometimes)

2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley leaves

Fresh Parm cheese

Fresh minced basil for that sweet toof:)

Preparation

In a heavy kettle (at least 5 quarts) cook garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add pepper flakes and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened. Add vinegar and boil until evaporated. Add wine, oregano, and bay leaf and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in tomato purée and tomato paste and bring to a boil.
Add clams and simmer, covered, 15 minutes, checking often and transferring clams as they open with tongs to a bowl (discard unopened ones).

Add shrimp, scallops,crab legs and fish to soup and simmer, covered, 5-7 minutes, or until seafood is just cooked through. Gently stir clams back in,.......sprinkle with parsley and fresh Parm cheese.

** all fresh seafoods can be substituted when in season, I especially love to add in calamari:) YUM YUM

Serve with a delicious french or sourdough bread, and more wine!