I left my heart in San Francisco

I'm heading out to San Francisco this week... a little family vacation. I always love going back to the city where my "culinary dreams" began. I was 18 years old and I had the choice to go to college or do what my heart was telling me I should be doing with the rest of my life... go to Culinary School. We all know which one I chose! That's right, I went to college and became an astrophysicist!!! Ok, that's not what happened, but what did happen was that I got to spend two years in a city that was just phenomenal and dined at some of the greatest dishes that this city has to offer.

There's just something about San Francisco. I'm not sure if it's the fact that it's such a melding pot of different cultures and nationalities, the actual terrain of it being so hilly and surrounded by the water or that there's just so much great food to choose from!

So, it would only make sense for me to give you a recipe that is uniquely San Franciscan. It's one of my favorites and it reminds me of all the great memories that I had during the two years I lived there.

Cioppino, what exactly is it? Well think of it as a version of the French fish soup called Bouillabaisse. It's actually pretty similar, but a little more "hearty." The origin and the name of Cioppino come from the Italian fishermen in the early 1900's when Fisherman's Wharf was still called Meiggs Wharf. Someone would make the rounds of the moored fishing boats, calling out for the contributions to a common festive stew. One fisherman would toss in some scallops, another some prawns another some Dungeness Crab, another some herbs and vegetables... and before you knew it they'd all be saying, "Chip In! Chip In!" But coming from an Italian accent, this American slang had to end in a vowel... and there in lies "Chip-een-o" And so over 100 years later Chippino is a common staple in just about every seafood restaurant around this city.

One of my favorite places that I used to go to when I lived here was Scoma's at Fisherman's Wharf... sure it's touristy but the Lazy Man's Cioppino is just delicious!!! And if you like seafood and shell fish in particular, you will absolutely love this recipe! I hope that you try it... I know my heart's left there every time I leave San Francisco... (sorry, I had to!)

INGREDIENTS

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 2 cups fish stock or clam juice
• 6 cups of your favorite tomato sauce
• 1 lb rock cod cut into 1" cubes
• 1.5 lbs clams
• 12oz prawns (deveined and peeled)
• 1 lb cooked crab meat
• 8oz bay shrimp
• 12oz scallops
• Salt and pepper

PROCEDURE

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook garlic for one minute.
2. Add the onions and let them sweat for two or three minutes.
3. Turn heat to high and add the wine to de glaze. Cook for 2-3 minutes (or until reduced in half) then reduce heat to medium.
4. Add fresh oregano and basil.
5. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
6. Slowly add fish, shellfish, and shrimp meat.
7. Bring the Cioppino back to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until all the seafood is cooked.
8. Add cooked crab meat.
9. Thin the Cioppino to your liking with fish stock or clam juice.
10. Adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper.
11. Serve in a large bowl with fresh sourdough bread and enjoy!

This goes perfectly with Linguini, Spaghetti or Angel Hair Pasta