Cioppino

Method

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1. Warm the oil in a very large pot and cook the onion and fennel over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and sweet.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

2. Add the garlic and chilli flakes for 1 minute, then the tomato purée and cook 2 minutes until it darkens.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

3. Pour in the wine and let it bubble hard for 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

4. Add the tomatoes, fish stock, bay, oregano and salt. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes — this is where the broth gets its body.

   Mark done Start 25 min timer

5. Taste and season. The broth should be a little bolder than you want the finished stew, because the seafood will dilute it.

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6. Add the crab and the clams, cover, and cook 4 minutes.

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7. Add the mussels, cover again, and cook 3 minutes until most have opened.

   Mark done

8. Add the prawns and the fish chunks, pushing them under the surface. Cover and cook 4 minutes more, until the prawns are pink and the fish flakes.

   Mark done

9. Discard any clams or mussels still shut, remove the bay, and scatter with parsley and fennel fronds.

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10. Ladle into wide bowls and serve with lemon and plenty of sourdough.

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Chef’s Tips

• Build the broth first and taste it before any seafood goes near it.
• Seafood in order: clams, mussels, then prawns and fish. Eleven minutes total, no more.
• Shell-on prawns give the broth more flavour, and a bib solves the rest.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• Grilled sourdough rubbed with garlic
• A crisp Italian white
• A simple green salad

Storage & Reheating

Best the day it is made. Keep leftover broth up to 3 days and poach fresh seafood in it.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.