A Fine Kettle of Fish

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 California version emphasizes shellfish rather than fish. Today almost any shellfish might be featured, from squid to prawns to lobster.

And it’s remarkable how much the dish can vary in seasonings. Porcini mushrooms, thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, saffron and even jalapeno chiles, cilantro and orange juice have been known to enter the cioppino pot.

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. Simply cook the tomatoes with the other flavorings and keep this base in the refrigerator or freezer.

Once the stew’s base is ready, you can buy whichever types of seafood are freshest at the market, and cook them in the base a short time before serving. For quick cooking, the most suitable seafood is 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.

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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.

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This cioppino is made with bay scallops, which are the fastest-cooking shellfish. If you are using sea scallops, add one to two 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.

QUICK AND EASY SCALLOP AND SHRIMP CIOPPINO

1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 large cloves garlic, 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 onion. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, then tomatoes and 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 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. Makes 4 servings.

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

SPINACH SALAD WITH SWEET PEPPERS AND HERB DRESSING

1 sweet red pepper or 1/2 sweet red and 1/2 sweet 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 sweet red pepper into strips about 1/3-inch wide, then 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. Makes 4 servings.