I made it through my first video cooking tutorial and YouTube premier without having a complete nervous breakdown, so that was a win. For my second go-round, I decided to do a riff on Cioppino. Cioppino was a natural choice as it is one of my favorite dishes of all time, a rich, brothy stew, flowing over with decadent seafood and fragrant herbs. I have recently been fortunate enough to prepare it for my in-laws’ annual Feast of the Seven Fishes around Christmas time, and it has quickly become one of my most cherished past times. Cioppino originated in San Francisco, California, but at the hands of an Italian immigrant from Genoa (who later went on to be a famous restaurateur). So, while truly American by birth, it has many aspects and a flavor profile that is very Italian in nature, and probably why I love it so much. In its purest form, Cioppino is a stew served with crusty bread or something of the like. My version is a bit different in that we are going to build a broth, and then cook it down to become more of a sauce before serving it over pasta. Despite humble origins as a dock worker’s soup of ‘fish scraps’, Cioppino these days is usually teeming with luxury ingredients like shrimp, clams, and crab legs. My version is a bit more pantry and budget friendly in that we are using Atlantic cod fillets, usually one of the most readily available and reasonably priced fish available, and clam juice to achieve all the briney goodness (rather than the costly or elusive bi-valves and crustaceans themselves). I mentioned fragrance before, and this recipe is definitely a treat for the olfactory. I used lots of dried thyme, oregano, basil, and the anchor ingredient of fresh fennel is always a treat for the nose (just make sure you take the time to cook until soft and let the licorice edge come off). You can use fresh herbs, add more of one, or even skip an ingredient or two, but if you let this dish simmer long enough, you’ll develop a lovely, savory, seaside flavor. Check out the video on my YouTube channel Christopher Cooks and Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. Butter
⅓ cup clam juice
¼ cup shrimp stock
1 ½ cup mire poix, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled, trimmed, and chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
1 leek, white part only, trimmed, cleaned, and chopped
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped, fronds reserved
2 tbsp. tomato paste
4 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
2 pinches crushed red pepper
1 (28-oz.) can crushed Italian tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1⁄2 lb. cod filet, cut into large pieces
1 lb fresh pasta,
- I used Rigatoni, but any shorter shape will work, I would not suggest anything long like linguini
½ cup dry white wine
½ pound white Russian kale, stems removed, thinly sliced
- Any other green will substitute well, just ensure you massage until tender if using green or lacinato kale
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

RECIPE PREPARATION

Heat ¼ cup oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Add carrots, celery, leeks, and fennel and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add wine, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, clam juice, shrimp stock, 2 cups water, oregano, thyme, basil, and crushed red pepper and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or reduced by ⅓ to ½.
Meanwhile, cook pasta until just al dente or slightly under-done. You will let the pasta complete cooking in brothy sauce
Taste soup, and add salt, pepper, more herbs or spices to taste. Once flavor is right, bring heat up and add kale, working in quickly, cooking until withered, about 1 minute.
Add cod, and cook, stirring very gently so fish does not completely fall apart.
Add cooked pasta and incorporate.
Cook until fish is just firm, ~3-6 minutes.
To Serve: Ladle into large bowls, garnish with fennel fronds