Sazerac Cioppino
Sazerac Cioppino
The Meadow
6
When the Italian fishermen of San Francisco threw together their combined catches, their respective gardens, and whatever wine they figured they could spare, they didn’t so much as create a masterpiece as procreate one. The heady addition of anise and fennel bitters marries the dish with the vibrancy of New Orleans: nothing short of physical passion in stew form.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1½ cups white wine 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 quart fish broth
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste or finely chopped anchovy fillets
- 1 pound clams, scrubbed
- 1 pound mussels, scrubbed
- 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1 pound salmon fillets, cut into chunks
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons fennel bitters (Bar Keep)
- 1 tablespoon aromatic bitters
- Crusty bread, for serving
Directions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Try not to brown.
- Put in the garlic and pepper flakes and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, salt, and black pepper; boil for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, broth, and anchovy paste. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the celery is cooked through.
- At this point, you can store the broth for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Bring back to a simmer before proceeding.
- Add the clams and mussels to the broth, cover, and cook until the shellfish are open, about 8 minutes. Add the shrimp and salmon, cover, and return to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and bitters. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Discard any clams and mussels that don’t open. Serve, drizzled with the remaining olive oil, in big soup bowls with lots of crusty bread.