Cioppino With Scallops Quick Dish For Entertaining

Cioppino, the pride of many fine California restaurants, is a garlic-scented seafood stew in tomato broth.

This elegant dish had modest origins. It is thought to have begun in San Francisco in the early 20th century as a way for fishermen to make use of their catch, especially the local rockfish and Dungeness crab.

Cioppino is derived from an Italian Riviera fishermen’s fish soup called “ciuppin,” which is flavored mainly with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and white wine. The early versions of San Francisco cioppino contained these ingredients as well, but sometimes the wine used was red.

Unlike the Italian stew, the Californian version emphasizes shellfish rather than fish. Today almost any shellfish might be featured, from squid to large prawns to lobster.

When I was a judge of a cioppino contest featuring the chefs of several prominent California restaurants, I found it remarkable how much the dish can vary in seasoning. The only ingredients all the cioppinos had in common were tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Other flavors that entered the pots were porcini mushrooms, thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, saffron and even jalapeno peppers, cilantro and orange juice.

Cioppino is perfect for entertaining not only for its tantalizing taste and lovely presentation, but also because it is one of the few seafood dishes that can, in large part, be made ahead. You simply cook the tomatoes with the other flavorings and keep this base in the refrigerator or freezer.

Then you can buy whichever types of seafood are freshest at your market and cook them in the base a short time before serving. For quick cooking, the most suitable seafood is bay scallops, which cook very rapidly. You can also add cooked, shelled shrimp, which require only to be briefly heated in the broth.

From a nutritional standpoint, this luscious stew has another advantage: Cioppino gains its rich flavor from seafood, which is naturally lean, and it tastes good even when made with very little oil.

Chefs disagree about whether cioppino should be a soup or a stew. It usually turns out to be a soupy stew and is served in a bowl or other deep dish. Fresh-baked, crusty sourdough or Italian bread is the favorite accompaniment. I also like to serve rice on the side for spooning into the cioppino.

To complete the menu, all you need is a spinach salad or green salad and seasonal fruit for dessert.

Quick and Easy Scallop and Shrimp Cioppino

This cioppino is made with small bay scallops, which are the fastest-cooking shellfish. If you are using larger sea scallops, add 1 to 2 minutes to the cooking time. If you like, prepare a variation by cooking cubes of sea bass or other firm fish fillets in the cioppino instead of scallops.

1-1/2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3/4 cup dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon

1/2 cup bottled clam juice or fish stock

Salt, freshly ground pepper

Hot pepper sauce

1 pound bay scallops, rinsed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 pound cooked and deveined large shrimp

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat oil in large heavy saucepan. Add onions and saute over medium-high heat, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, then tomatoes and their juice, tomato sauce, wine and clam juice. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. (Base can be kept, covered, 2 days in refrigerator or it can be frozen. Reheat before continuing.)

Add scallops and oregano to simmering cioppino base. Cover and simmer over low heat 2 minutes or until just tender. Add shrimp and heat through, about 30 seconds. Serve cioppino in wide bowls. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 4 servings.

Spinach Salad with Peppers and Herb Dressing

Use packaged baby spinach leaves for a delicate taste and elegant presentation.

1 sweet red pepper or 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow pepper

6 cups spinach leaves, medium packed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2-1/4 teaspoons herb vinegar or tarragon vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt, freshly ground pepper

Cut pepper into strips about 1/3-inch wide (cut in half if long). Combine with spinach in large bowl.

Whisk oil in small bowl along with vinegar and thyme. Toss with spinach mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield: 4 servings.