San Francisco’s Cioppino is simply a delicious fish stew.  San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf is known for Cioppino a dish full of seafood with a tomato sauce base.  The main ingredient is the Pacific Ocean’s Treasure – Dungeness Crabs.  Sometimes we get told that it can only be made with live Dungeness Crabs.  Not true!  Our Dad, Serge, made San Francisco’s Cioppino sometimes using local live Dungeness crabs and other times he used cooked crabs.  His secret was in the sauce.  He would always add brandy or bourbon -as he sautéed his onions.  The flavor that the brandy or bourbon gave the San Francisco’s Cioppino had us dipping the bread in the sauce or licking our fingers after we ate the crabs.  I’ve taken the dish to a potluck dinner where there were lots of teens.  I thought that only the parents would eat it.  Lo and behold as the teens went by I saw Cioppino on their plates!  Everyone needed a wet towel to clean their fingers after enjoying the last drop of the San Francisco’s Cioppino.  Don’t forget the Sourdough bread!

Lots of tourists visit daily at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and eat Cioppino at one of the many seafood restaurants.  For those in a rush and don’t have time to make the sauce from scratch we sell a Cioppino Sauce in a jar that is the perfect base for your fish stew.   It’s really hard some days walking up and down the wharf looking at those tourist indulging in delicious Cioppino.  I want to sit down and eat with them![wpurp-searchable-recipe]Cioppino – – cooked Dungeness Crabs, clams, White Wine (1/3), olive oil, chopped onion, fresh tomatoes chopped or 16 oz whole tomatoes* (*You can also use a ready made Sauce), Black Pepper, Pacific Rockfish or Ling Cod or Halibut, scallops, prawns, brandy or bourbon, Tomato Sauce, chopped garlic, Italian Herbs, salt and pepper to taste, 1. Detach the legs and claws from the bodies of the Dungeness Crabs.
2. Place the clams in a pan with 1 cup of wine and steam covered for 5 minutes or until the clams open.
3. Remove clams from shell.
4. Save the clam and wine juice.
5. Heat oil in a large pot.
6. Saute onion, garlic, and herbs for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the bourbon or brandy for flavor.
8. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, remaining wine, and clam juice.
9. Simmer for 20 minutes.
10. Add fish, scallops, prawns, and crabs.
11. Simmer for 5 minutes. DO NOT STIR.
12. Add the clams and heat for 2 minutes.
Serve the Cioppino from the pot!; – When I make this recipe I leave my clams in their shell.  I also add some mussels too.[/wpurp-searchable-recipe]