Sunday Supper: Spicy Cioppino with Fresh Sour Dough Bread

Nothing is better than a chilly day, a brand new cashmere blend sweater with new knee high boots and an appetite. San Francisco is famous for their seafood along the pier. Grab yourself a fresh loaf of sourdough bread and a hot bowl of cioppino and hit the coast for a delicious lunch or dinner.  This dish is perfect for two or a crowd. Serve it in a dish or a bread bowl but either way get your own spoon because you won't want to share!
 
What you Need
5-7 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 yellow onion diced
1 serrano pepper to taste
a sprinkle of red pepper flakes
16 clams
1/4 lb/ dungeness crab (pre-shelled/cooked)
16 mussels
10 large shrimp
10 oz. snapper (or any other mild white fish with medium to large flake)
1-28oz. can San Marzano tomatoes diced
2 c. dry white wine
2 c. fish stock
olive oil
1 dried bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
fresh scallions finely chopped
1 t. Old Bay Seasoning
salt & pepper
hot sauce (Tapatio)
Parmesan cheese
***1 andouille sausage (optional) This is not part of a traditional cioppino but it adds depth, texture smokiness and good 'ol boy, country meatiness.

What to Do

Get out your Dutch Oven (DO) and pour in a tablespoon or so of olive oil over medium to med-high heat. Lightly season your white fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Pan sear in the bottom of the dutch oven for 2 minutes on each side and remove from pan and set aside. Don't worry about cooking the fish all of the way through at this point; you will continue to cook it in the broth later. This step is to create base flavor in your oven and get a nice brown sear on the fish. If you choose to use the andouille sausage, add the cubed sausage to the pan and cook it for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside with your white fish.

Add some more olive oil to the oven and sweat your onions with your serrano pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add your garlic and stir being careful not to burn it because burnt garlic=bitter garlic. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning and your red pepper flakes; give it another stir. Add the two cups of dry white wine and reduce by half. Add your thyme sprigs and your bay leaf. Pour in your fish stock and the can of San Marzanos. Add your dungeness crab and stir. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook on medium high heat for 30 minutes so your flavors come together and some of the liquid from the tomatoes cooks off.

After you have cooked it all down, add your clams to the broth. You add them first because they take the longest and make sure you let them cook for about 5 minutes or so before adding the mussels. Add your mussels and cover cooking until all are opened. If they don't open, don't eat 'em.

Once they have opened add your seared white fish, raw shrimp and seared sausage.  Cook covered in broth for about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop your chives for garnish. Taste test again. Sprinkle in hot sauce to desired tastes and add salt & pepper accordingly. Serve in a sourdough bread bowl and sprinkle with fresh scallions and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!