Recipe of the Day - Cioppino

Mother's Day Dinner for my mother was a wonderful feast staring with her favorite salad, farmer's market local tomatoes, local mozzarella cheese, basil from my garden, olive oil, salt and pepper. The big pot of Cioppino was the main dish and we all enjoyed dipping the crusty bread in the broth. YUM!

Cioppino
by Penny Rich
Serves 8

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4 cups fish stock
2 pinches saffron
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound bay scallops
1/2 pounds cod, ½ inch chunks
1 pound clams, scrubbed
1 pound mussels, scrubbed, debearded

Place clams and mussels in a large bowl and cover with water. Add 2-3 tablespoons of corn meal and let the fish sit for 10-12 minutes. Rinse 5-6 times to remove all the sand and debeard mussels.
Heat the oil in a very large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt, sauté 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste. Add tomatoes with their juices, wine, fish stock and saffron. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes. Add the shrimp, scallops and cod, cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the clams and mussels, cover and cook until the clams and mussels begin to open, about 5-7 minutes. Serve with 2 large loafs of crusty bread.