Mama Chio's Shellfish Cioppino

Mama Chio’s shellfish cioppino is the San Francisco fisherman’s stew turned up to eleven. Italian immigrants on the wharves built this dish from whatever the boats brought in, simmered in a tomato base they brought from home. This version doesn’t hold back: Dungeness crab, lobster tails, shrimp, scallops, clams, and halibut all share one pot.

The broth is the foundation. Onion, garlic, and parsley get sweated in butter and olive oil, then dry sherry deglazes the pot before the tomatoes and herbs go in. Thirty minutes of simmering builds depth before the seafood ever touches the pot.

The seafood goes in by tenderness order: tougher shellfish first, the delicate halibut last. By the time the clams pop open, everything is cooked just right.

Serve with crusty sourdough for soaking up the broth.

Chef Tips

• Buy seafood the same day you cook. Cioppino is only as good as the freshest piece in the pot.
• Scrub clams hard and discard any that are open and won’t close when tapped. Dead clams will ruin the broth.
• Cut the halibut into 2-inch chunks. Smaller pieces fall apart in the broth and bigger ones cook unevenly.
• Don’t overcook. Once the clams are open, the dish is done. Pulling shrimp and scallops at five minutes keeps them tender.

Variations

• Use mussels alongside or instead of clams for a different shellfish profile.
• Swap halibut for cod, sea bass, or red snapper based on what’s freshest.
• Add a pinch of saffron to the sherry-deglaze step for a Provencal bouillabaisse lean.