Last week on Top Chef, the cheftestants elimination challenge was a fun lakeside fish boil. While it’s not quite fish, low country, or high country boil (get that description in the video!) season just yet, I made a classic this week: Cioppino. This American dish, based off of Italian fisherman’s stew, is traditionally made with whatever leftover fish hasn’t been purchased. I get in on the tradition, using up some old frozen squid, making my own stock from “unwanted” fish pieces I bought cheap from an International food store, as well as including fresh daily purchases of shrimp, clams, and wild caught sea bass. While this dish is usually made with mussels, I prefer clams as their flavor is cleaner.
This is one of my longer videos, because it is chock full of useful information: how to make your own fish stock, how to store and clean clams, how to chop various herbs so you don’t damage them, how to cook perfectly crispy-skin fish without it sticking to your stainless steel skillet, and how to make the most delicious Italian compound butter. Watch the full episode here so you can get everything you need to make likely the most delicious Cioppino you’ve had in your life. It’s a bold claim, but one I firmly stand behind.
Cioppino
Stock
Olive oil
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
½ tsp chili flakes
Fish heads or other fish scraps
Shrimp shells
Halved onion
Leek (white and light green part only,) or green onions, roughly chopped
Fennel stalks (or celery)
Few sprigs of thyme
Bay leaves
1 cup full-bodied Italian white wine
6 cups water
Italian compound butter
1 stick of softened salted butter
2 garlic cloves
Chili flakes
Minced parsley and basil (1 tbsp each) and 1 tsp thyme leaves
Zest from 1 lemon
Delallo sun-dried tomato bruschetta
Grilled sliced sourdough bread (for serving)
Soup
2 shallots, minced
1 fennel bulb, diced finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup white wine
~½ cup diced Delallo fire roasted tomatoes (fresh or diced canned tomatoes also work)
~3 cups fish stock
2 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
Calamari rings and tentacles
2 skin-on firm white fish filets (I used sea bass)
~20 clams, cleaned
10-12 shelled shrimp
2 tbsp Italian compound butter
Prepare the stock by heating up garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil. Once one side of the garlic has lightly browned, flip the cloves and add in the chili flakes. After the garlic has turned golden on both sides, add in the fish scraps, vegetables, herbs, and wine. Stir in some salt and pepper, followed by the water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook uncovered for about 40 minutes, until reduced by half. Strain through a fine mesh sieve pressing on the solids to get all the extra delicious liquid. Reserve the stock and discard everything else.
Meanwhile, clean your clams by scrubbing them with a brush and placing them in a bowl of cold salted water. Discard any clams that have cracked shells or won’t close with a little tap on the shell.
Prepare the compound butter by heating up 2 minced cloves of garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. You should stir this pretty constantly. Once aromatic, add in the chili flakes, turn off the heat, and continue to stir for another 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.
Then, place the butter, herbs and lemon zest in a bowl and mash with a fork until well combined. Season with a little pepper, add in the prepared tomato spread and reserved sautéed garlic and stir until combined. Reserve.
Prepare a grill (or grill pan) on medium-high, then rub the bread slices with some olive oil and grill until toasted on both sides. Once toasted-up, slather on some compound butter and hold until plating.
Increase the grill pan heat to high. Blot the calamari dry and season with salt and pepper in a little olive oil. Grill until lightly browned, a few minutes on each side, then reserve.
Prepare the soup. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add in the shallot and fennel, along with a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes, until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Then deglaze the pot with wine. Simmer until nearly evaporated.
Add in the diced tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Continue to cook uncovered.
While you wait for the stock to come to a boil, prepare the fish. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a stainless steel skillet set over medium-high heat. After a couple of minutes, place a sheet of parchment into the pan, adding another tbsp of oil on top of the parchment and continue to heat another minute.
Meanwhile, season the fish with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Drain the cleaned clams, adding them to the pot of boiling soup and cook covered for 5 minutes.
Then, place the fish skin-side down on the parchment in the skillet and give a press to ensure the skin adheres evenly. Cook for about 4 or 5 minutes until the fish is no longer opaque ⅔ of the way up the flesh (if using thinner fish filets, this will only take a couple minutes).
Once the fish is mostly cooked, uncover the soup pot and toss in the raw shrimp and grilled calamari, stir and add in the fish, flesh-side down. Cover the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes. Uncover the pot and discard any clams that may not have opened. Stir in the compound butter until melted.
Divide the cioppino among two bowls and serve with the grilled sourdough.
______________________________ Copyright 2024, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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