Clam, Lobster & Shrimp Cioppino

Cioppino is San Francisco’s gift to seafood lovers, an Italian-American fisherman’s stew born in the late 1800s when Italian dock workers along the wharf threw whatever fresh-caught seafood they had into a single tomato-wine broth. This version goes all in: clams, lobster (or Dungeness crab), shrimp, and red snapper, simmered with fennel, saffron, and the secret weapon of anchovy paste.

That anchovy paste mashed in with raw garlic at the end is the move that separates a great cioppino from a generic seafood soup. The anchovy disappears into the broth but leaves behind deep umami the tomatoes alone can’t deliver. Don’t skip it; you won’t taste fish, you’ll taste savor.

Layer the seafood by cooking time. Clams need the longest to open, then the firmer fish (snapper), then quick-cooking shrimp last. Throw everything in at once and you’ll end up with rubbery shrimp swimming around closed clams.

The cornstarch-water soak for the clams is an old trick to make them spit out grit. The starch upsets them and they purge sand into the water. Drain and rinse repeatedly until the water runs clear before adding to the pot.

Chef Tips

• Bloom the saffron in a tablespoon of hot wine before adding. Cold saffron doesn’t release its color or flavor properly.
• Crack the lobsters or crabs before adding so the broth penetrates the shells. Use kitchen shears for the cleanest cuts.
• Serve in deep bowls with toasted sourdough on the side for sopping. San Francisco-style means sourdough is essentially required.
• Don’t make ahead. Cioppino is at its best the moment it’s served; the seafood toughens on reheat.

Variations

• Use bay scallops or mussels in place of (or alongside) the clams.
• Substitute white wine for red for a brighter, more delicate broth.
• Stir in a tablespoon of fresh basil and a pinch of red pepper flakes at the end for a more Mediterranean profile.