Cioppino

We just love a good seafood stew.  Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in the dish's place of origin is typically a combination of crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid mussels and fish. The seafood is then combined with fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce, and served with toasted bread.  I don't care for mussels or clams, so this is my version of Cioppino.  To make this dish you will need:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 stalks of celery, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Sea salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon

3  spicy Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed

2 cups white wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

2  cups low-sodium chicken broth 

2 bay leaf

5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 small package of bay scallops

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons flour (if you want your sauce thicker)

1.)  In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the celery, garlic, onionss, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and break into 1/2-inch pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes.

2.)  Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato paste, chicken broth, bay leaf and the sprigs of thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.

3.)  If you like a thicker sauce, spoon out some of the sauce, mix it with the flour until smooth.  Slowly stir back into the sauce.

4.)  Uncover the pan and add the shrimp, beans, and basil. Simmer, uncovered, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with crusty bread.