Lazy Man’s Cioppino - Washington Post 12/22/02

½ c. olive oil
½ c. chopped onion
½ c. chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ c. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 ½ c. white wine
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt or to taste as I think 1 tsp is too much
¾ tsp. ground pepper
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried thyme
3 bay leaves
2 pounds cod fillets (or other boneless white fish) cut into bite sized pieces
18 clams, scrubbed and rinsed well
18 medium shrimp (about 8 ounces) peeled and deveined
18 mussels scrubbed and rinsed well
1 pound cooked crab meat

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, wine, sugar, salt, pepper, half of the cod and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the clams and mussels and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining cod and the shrimp, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the crab and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves and any clams and mussels that do not open.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately. Best served with crusty bread, on the side to dip into the broth.

Serves 6 to 8.

DMV variations: have made with shrimp, scallops and cod and was excellent, I usually don’t have fresh parsley so have left that out.

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