Seafood Stew ala Dave – Vino Vargas

By Vicky Vargas, Owner of Vino Vargas

Wine Pairing: Vargas Paso Doble Sparkling Wines or Vargas Aha! Albariño

This is a variation of Food & Wine Bobby Flay’s San Francisco Seafood Stew. Cioppino is typically made from a variety of seafood depending on what is freshest, and the San Francisco classic often includes a range of shellfish like Dungeness crab, squid, and mussels, all simmered in a tomato broth spiked with wine. Our version uses portions of fresh shrimp, scallops, white fish, littleneck clams, and mussels. It is served with thick slices of toasted French bread. Highly recommended with the Vargas Paso Doble Blanc de Noir or the Vargas Aha! Albarino.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 cup bottled clam juice 1 can drained, diced tomatoes (15-ounce can) 2 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more for serving

Salt & freshly ground pepper

1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed

1 dozen mussels, scrubbed

3/4 pound skinless snapper fillets, halibut, or other white fish, cut into -1-1/2 inch pieces 1/2 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp (2 each)

1/2 pound scallops (2 each)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Sourdough toast, for serving

Directions

STEP 1 In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, clam juice, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.

STEP 2 Heat a separate pan with boiling water and a steamer insert. Add the clams, cover, and cook just until most of them open, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels, cover, and cook just until most of them open, about 5 minutes. Discard all shells that do not open.

STEP 3 To the stockpot — Add the white fish (snapper, halibut, etc.), shrimp and scallops. Cover and simmer until they are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the seafood and clams, and mussels to 4 bowls. Add the butter and parsley and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute, swirling the pan. Spoon the broth over the seafood and serve with sourdough toast. ENJOY!