Zesty Cioppino

Cioppino is San Francisco’s signature seafood stew, and this version loads up with shrimp, Dungeness crab, and scallops in a garlicky tomato-wine broth that’s worth every bit of the mess cracking those crab shells makes.

The broth simmers for 25 to 30 minutes before any seafood goes in. Onions, garlic, and parsley sautéed in butter build the base, then canned tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and two full cups of dry white wine create a fragrant, acidic liquid that concentrates during the simmer.

The seafood goes in at the very end and cooks for just 5 to 7 minutes. Shrimp turn pink, scallops turn opaque, and the crab (already cooked and cracked) heats through and perfumes the broth with its sweet, briny flavor. Serve it hot from the pot with crusty bread for soaking up every drop.

Chef Tips

• Don’t add the seafood too early. Overcooked shrimp and scallops turn rubbery. Five to seven minutes is all they need.
• Use dry white wine you’d drink. Two cups is a lot, and cheap wine will leave a bitter, harsh note in the broth.
• Crack the Dungeness crab before adding so the broth can get into the shell and the meat is easy to pull at the table.
• Serve with big napkins and a bowl for shells. Cioppino is meant to be eaten with your hands.

Variations

• Add clams or mussels in their shells for a more dramatic presentation. Add them before the other seafood since they take longer to open.
• Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
• Use fish stock instead of chicken broth for a more intensely seafood-forward broth.