the Yummy letter

Volume 1 Issue 6 March 11, 2009

Shellfish Cioppino

Cioppino has been a San Francisco tradition since the Gold Rush, but its origin can be traced back to the Italian fishing villages that many of the fishermen came from. Cucciuco, a fish stew from the Tuscan port of Livorno and Ligurian Cuippin, a fish soup served over crusty bread were the most likely inspirations for our San Francisco Cioppino. For all of these dishes, the tradition would be the same: The fishermen would get together and chip in the fish leftover after selling their catch to the local merchants and restaurants. The seafood would be added to a large pot filled with a spicy tomato broth and shared among everyone for several days.

Shellfish Cioppino
(Serves 4–6)

1

Dungeness crab, cooked, cracked and cleaned

2

tablespoons olive oil

1

pound sweet yellow onion, diced

8

cloves garlic, chopped

2

pounds Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/4

cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4

cup Italian parsley, chopped

1/8

cup fresh oregano, chopped

1/2

tablespoon salt

1/2

tablespoon black pepper

1/2

tablespoon crushed red pepper

2

cups white wine

1

pound clams, live

3/4

pound mussels, live

3/4

pound sea scallops

3/4

pound shrimp (31-40 count), peeled and deveined

Separate the meat from the body and leave the meat in the cracked legs and claws. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot (5 quarts or larger). Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are soft and slightly brown, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, basil, parsley, oregano, salt and peppers. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine and simmer for 30 minutes. Raise heat to medium high, add seafood and cook until all of the clams and mussels have opened. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve.

Cheers,
Bill

For more of Bill's recipes, visit http://www.northsidesf.com/kitchenlesscook.html
E-mail: bill@yummyletter.com

Home Recipes from GraceAnn Walden

A recent visit to chef Heidi Krahling’s delightful Marinitas restaurant in San Anselmo inspired me to rattle my pots and pans and make this treasured recipe for a quick mole.

I have made Diana Kennedy’s mole from her book, The Cuisines of Mexico — it goes on for three pages, which means it is time-consuming, albeit delicious. After making her recipe and already knowing how to make Thai peanut sauce, I added Mexican spices to create this mole sauce, which I use for enchiladas, oven-baked chicken, and to dress roasted pork.

Quick Mole Sauce
(Makes 6 cups)

3
jalapenos, stem cut off, cut in half and deveined, minced

8
cloves garlic, minced

1/2
cup canola oil

3/4
cup natural peanut butter

3 1/2
tablespoons chili powder (McCormick dark chili powder)

3
tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4
teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

3-4
cups chicken stock (canned OK)

Fry jalapenos and garlic in oil. Don’t let them brown. Remove from heat. Whisk in peanut butter, chili powder, cocoa, coriander, cinnamon, and salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in three cups chicken stock. Simmer, stirring for 15 minutes to meld flavors. The sauce consistency should be on the thin side, so depending on the peanut butter you use, you can add all or part of the fourth cup of stock.

Can be refrigerated for up to five days.

Happy cooking,
GraceAnn

Tools & Toys: Pizzapartment

Is there a monster pizza box with two slices left in it taking up an entire shelf in your fridge? This clever container allows you to compost that box while keeping leftover slices. It holds all sizes of triangular pies, is microwave safe, and prevents slices from sticking together by “housing” them on top of each other in separate compartments. It disassembles for easy cleaning and is dishwasher safe.

Pizzapartment: $11.99 at Dormbuys.com

— Susan

50 Great Appetizers
By Pamela Sheldon Johns
Andrews McMeel, $14.99 ISBN 13 978-0-7407-7650-2

Everywhere we go these days, whether it’s a wine bar or just a casual eatery, we’re served small plates. No one calls them appetizers, but that’s what they are.

Johns has put together a small book, just 110 pages and about 6 inches square that aptly covers the subject. The book is divided into four sections: topped and dipped, grilled and skewered, stuffed and rolled, and plated and sauced. As a former caterer, I have to say this is a brilliant way of organizing the material, especially since the book is slanted toward home cooks. She also covers themed parties: Mexican, Italian and vegetarian. But most important, she gives a game plan: what to make ahead, what to make the day of.

The book kicks off with a white-bean-rosemary crostini that even an eight-year-old could prepare. Other usual suspects are in attendance, including pesto dip, heirloom tomato bruschetta, baba ghanoush, and marinated mushrooms.

More unique is the papaya-avocado salsa served with quesadilla triangles. The bite-sized polenta squares with sun-dried tomatoes topped with a dab of goat cheese are alluring.

The focaccia Jones has devised looks as good as what I buy in North Beach, but her version is topped with thinly sliced potatoes and red onions, Parmesan and sage.

Another good idea is the tortilla rolls. After making a corn and bean salsa, she then makes roll ups from flour tortillas spread with a spinach and cream cheese mix.

One recipe I am sure to repeat is the orange-broccoli salad. It is, as we say here — Yummy!

Orange-Broccoli Salad
(Serves 8)

1/2
teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns

1/2
teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4
cup rice vinegar

juice of 1 orange

2
tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1
tablespoon honey

2
tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 pound broccoli, cut into florets

2 oranges

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

For the dressing: Grind the Szechuan peppercorns and pepper flakes in a spice grinder. (I have a cheap electric coffee mill dedicated to spices.) Otherwise, grind in a mortar. Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat and toast the peppers for 1 minute to release the flavors. Remove from the heat. Combine the vinegar, orange juice and pepper mixture. Whisk in the sesame oil, honey and soy sauce. Set aside.

For the salad: Prepare a large pot of salted water and drop the broccoli in for one minute. Remove and plunge into ice water. Drain well. Cut the tops and bottoms off the oranges and cut down the sides to remove the white pith. Separate into segments. Heat the oil and sauté the white onion until soft. Add in the broccoli and cook long enough to coat with oil and heat through. Remove from the heat and add the orange segments and the dressing.
Serve on salad plates.

— GraceAnn