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Cioppino

Name: Cioppino
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 145 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1kg vongole (see note); 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to drizzle; 2 fennel bulbs; 1 tablespoon fennel seeds; 2 onions, thickly sliced; 2 celery stalks, thickly sliced; 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes; 1 bay leaf; 1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally; 2 x 400g cans Diced Tomatoes; 2L (8 cups) good-quality fish stock; 1kg pot-ready mussels (see note); 8 x 100g snapper fillets, pin-boned; 1 pinch saffron (optional); 250g fresh cooked crabmeat (see note); Toasted sourdough bread, to serve

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by David Prior

delicious. contributor

Oct 03, 2015

David Prior marries basic Italian cooking principles with typical Californian ingredients in this sensational seafood soup pot.

1kg vongole (see note)
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 fennel bulbs
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 onions, thickly sliced
2 celery stalks, thickly sliced
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 bay leaf
1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
2 x 400g cans Ardmona Diced Tomatoes
2L (8 cups) good-quality fish stock
1kg pot-ready mussels (see note)
8 x 100g snapper fillets, pin-boned
1 pinch saffron (optional)
250g fresh cooked crabmeat (see note)
Toasted sourdough bread, to serve

Method

1.

Place the vongole in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 1 hour to remove any grit. Drain.
2.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Slice the fennel, reserving the fronds, and add to the pan with fennel seeds, onion, celery, chilli, bay leaf, garlic and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften. Add tomato to the pan and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer over high heat, skimming any foam from the surface. Add another pinch of salt, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes until reduced. Strain into a pan, discarding the solids. Keep stock warm over low heat.
3.

Place 1 cup (250ml) drained stock in a separate pan and bring to the boil over high heat. Add mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes or until opened. Remove with a slotted spoon. Bring stock back to the boil and repeat with vongole. Set seafood aside. Discard cooking liquid.
4.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with foil and grease. Sprinkle snapper with saffron, if using, and half the fennel fronds. Season, then place on baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until just cooked through.
5.

Spoon the vongole, mussels and crab into warmed bowls. Place a piece of snapper on top and spoon over a little of the warm stock. Top with remaining fennel fronds and serve with sourdough.