Mother’s Day Choppino (Cioppino)

Celebrate your Mom this Mothers Day by making her Italian Choppino. A CookLikeADad Seafood Stew Recipe that has a combination of a rich tomato broth with a healthy serving of seafood. This family recipe will make any Mom who enjoys seafood appreciate your love for her this Mother’s Day…

Shopping List: Serves a Family of 5+

One (1) Pound of Salmon Filet (Cut Down to 1 ½ inch chunks)

One (1) Pound of Sea bass, Snapper or Cod (White Fish), Cut down to chunks

½ lb. Pound of Un-cooked, Deveined Shrimp

Option: ½ pound of sea scallops

Seasonal Option: 1 ½ Lbs. (pounds) of Clams, Mussels

1- Bushel of Fresh Italian Parsley, Basil, and Oregano (Chop all 3 together, fine)

3- Bay Leaves

2- Oranges, 1-Lime (Cut in half)

1- Red onion

1-Small jar of Minced Garlic

4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2- 28oz. Cans of Tomato Sauce

1- 15 oz. Can of Stewed Tomatoes

1- 6 oz. Can of Tomato Paste for thickening

Kitchen Equipment:

1- Large Mixing Bowl for Sauce Prep, 1- Medium Mixing Bowl for Seafood Prep, 1- Fry Pan for cooking Seafood, 1- Large Stew Pot for final cooking. Entire Cooking Time: 45- 60 minutes from start to finish.

CookLikeADad Cooking Steps:  Make Sauce!

Take your Tomato sauces and empty all four, tomato products together in a large mixing bowl.  Start chopping all three of your fresh herbs, (Basil, Parsley, Oregano) together in a separate area and take a handful of the chopped herbs and place into your sauce. Make sure you have an equal proportion of the herbs into your sauce. The tomato paste helps keep your sauce thick as you mix all the tomato sauces together. Take one Orange and squeeze both halves into your sauce; don’t worry if you get pulp in the sauce, it will cook away and leave a slightly sweeter taste to your sauce. Add 3 bay leaves into the sauce. Try to leave the Bay leaves intact and not crumbled. Bay leaves help cut down the acid that could cause heartburn down the road. Now take (1) Lime and cut in half and squeeze lime juice into your sauce. Mix well and add (2) Tablespoons of Olive oil to your sauce. Set  the Sauce bowl aside and begin work on the seafood set up.

I See, You See, Seafood…

Choppino dates back to the early Italian Fisherman in Europe who made a stew from the leftover fish, shrimp and shellfish that they kept or couldn’t sell at the fish market. Having a variety of seafood adds to the variety of flavor that the stew can create. My point is to be flexible and open yourself up to any form of seafood that you would like in your recipe. My Mother hates Mussels and Clams, (I love em both!), so I modified this recipe to match her tastes and love of Fish, Shrimp and Scallops.

To prep your fish, make sure the fish filet is clean and free of scales and bones. Cut the Fish down to 1 ½ inch chunks and place in a medium bowl. Clean and rinse shrimp, remove the legs and add them to the bowl of fish. Now, most cooks like to keep the tails on the shrimp for flavor; but this is your recipe and it is your option. Just make sure you bought the deveined shrimp. Wash the scallops off and place them with the rest of your seafood bowl. Take a large handful of your chopped herbs and place into the Seafood bowl. Add 2- tablespoons of Minced Garlic and Olive Oil. Take the Red Onion and cut in half. Chop one half into fine chunks and place in the bowl with the other ingredients. Mix bowl of seafood and ingredients with your hand to make sure all seafood has an even distribution of the Olive oil, herbs and garlic.

Next Step: Cooking Time

Start a Large Fry Pan, Medium Heat. Place Seafood into pan and stir the mixture of seafood evenly. Make sure to gently turn the scallops to avoid breaking. Grab your other Orange and Lime and cut in half and squeeze their juices onto the seafood while cooking. Continue to cook 12- 15 minutes or until the shrimp are bright pink and the scallops are slightly firm. Time to get the saucepot ready…

Sauce Meets Seafood

Take large Stew pot and lightly grease the bottom of the pot with the remaining Tablespoon of Olive oil. Take your bowl of Tomato Sauces and pour into the pot. Have the Pot on a low-medium setting. Add the Seafood into the saucepot while slowly and gently mixing the two together. Next, place a lid over the pot and allow the contents to cook for another 18- 20 minutes on low setting while occasionally checking on it and mixing the stew. Serve warm and enjoy this stew with a warm French Roll or a Side of pasta to drop into the stew.

Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms from CookLikeADad