posted by Connie 04-10-100 8:25 PM
Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen -- America's Best-loved Community Recipes Cookbook.
Cioppino
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped sweet green pepper
3 (14 1/2 ounce cans) Italian-style plum tomatoes
2 cups dry red wine
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teas. dried oregano, crushed
1 1/2 teas. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 to 1/2 teas. dried hot red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 pound fresh or frozen halibut, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (or scrod)
12 ounces fresh or frozen shrimp in shells
12 ounces fresh or frozen scallops
24 clams in shell
1/4 teas. pepper
1/2 cup finely snipped parsley
Pour the oil into a large kettle. Add the onion and sweet green pepper. Cook and stir over low heat until the vegetables are tender.
Carefully add the undrained tomatoes, red wine, basil, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered for one hour.
Meanwhile, thaw the halibut or scrod, shrimp and scallops, if frozen.
Shell the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Clean the clams.
Uncover the sauce and return to a boil. Stir in the clams. Boil, covered, about 5 minutes or until the clams open. Discard any clams that do not open. Remove all the clams from the sauce and set them aside.
Stir the halibut or scrod, shrimp, scallops and pepper into the sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more. Discard the bay leaf.
To serve, place the cooked clams (still in their shell) in shallow bowls. Ladle the stew mixture on top and garnish with parsley.
*Option: The red wine will change the color of the seafood. For a lighter wine flavor, use 1 cup wine and 1 cup broth instead of the 2 cups wine. Or, eliminate all of the wine and substitue broth for the entire amount.
Makes 8 servings about 280 calories per serving.