Nantucket Cioppino

Cioppino is San Francisco’s invention, but Nantucket fishermen know their way around a shellfish stew. This version swaps Dungeness crab for East Coast lobster and leans on local cod and swordfish alongside the usual clams, mussels, and shrimp. Five kinds of seafood in one pot, and each gets timed to come out exactly right.

The broth is long-cooked first: carrots, peppers, onions, and garlic sweat together for ten minutes, then tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, and a generous handful of herbs simmer for nearly half an hour to build a deep, winy foundation. Only then do the proteins join, staged so nothing overcooks. Swordfish and lobster take 15 minutes, then the fast-cooking clams, mussels, cod, and shrimp go in for the final 10.

Chef Tips

• Scrub and debeard the mussels right before cooking. Closed, fresh mussels are a must. Toss any that are open and do not close when tapped, and discard any that stay shut after cooking.
• Stage the seafood by cooking time. Lobster and swordfish are dense and take longer. Shrimp, cod, mussels, and clams cook fast and will turn rubbery if added too early. This staging is the most important step.
• Use a good, dry red wine, something you would drink. Cioppino broth tastes strongly of its wine, and cooking red wine that was bad to start with just concentrates its flaws.
• Serve with grilled crusty sourdough rubbed with garlic. It is not optional. The bread is how you capture every drop of broth.

Variations

• Substitute scallops for the swordfish for a sweeter, more delicate bite.
• Add a pinch of saffron or red pepper flakes to the broth for a spicier, more Mediterranean profile.
• Swap the beef stock for fish stock or clam juice for a cleaner, more ocean-forward broth.