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Recipes in this issue - click here to view all recipes
Cioppino
Cioppino is a hearty, tomato-based seafood stew that is uniquely San Franciscan, tracing its roots back to the Italian immigrant fishermen who settled in the city's North Beach neighborhood and worked off the waterfront (then called Meiggs' Wharf) in the late 1800s. It was a resourceful dish born of necessity, traditionally made with the leftover catch of the day—often including Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, and various fish—simmered in a rich broth flavored with local tomatoes, wine, and herbs. The popular, though possibly apocryphal, legend holds that when a fisherman returned with an empty boat, he would circulate among his peers asking them to "chip in" some of their own catch for a communal meal; this phrase, spoken in a thick Italian accent, is said to have evolved into the name "Cioppino," while the name's true etymology likely comes from ciuppin, a Ligurian dialect word for a similar fish soup from Genoa, Italy.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin California olive oil
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 2 28-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, no salt added, roughly chopped with the broth
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper
- 1 cup clams
- 1 cup mussels
- 1/2 cup lump crab meat
- 6 blue crab claws
- 8 ounces Pacific cod, halibut, flounder, or snapper (sturdy mild fish)
- chopped parsley for garnish
- 1 French Baguette
- 4 ounces (1 stick) butter at room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch Oven. Sauté the garlic and onion until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Add the tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Boil the crabs or crab claws if they are raw. Sauté the cod in olive oil, then add a little of the tomato broth and poach the fish on the stove to cook it through. In another pan, heat the clams, mussels, shrimp, and squid in additional tomato broth. If you are using raw ones, cook them in batches in the tomato broth.
- Ladle the hot tomato broth into large pasta or soup bowls. Add the seafood, dividing it between the bowls. This way, you have a gorgeous broth and seafood that are cooked perfectly and recognizable, not a mushy mess. If you want to present the whole pot of stew, you can add the heated seafood carefully at the end, along with the broth it was cooked in. I made it this way to style it for the shoot, and then fell in love with the way it looked and tasted at my dinner table.
- Serve with chopped parsley on top and crusty bread, accompanied by garlic butter. (Heat the bread in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes to make it “crusty”.)
- Mix all together in a mixing bowl with a paddle until fluffy. Place in a bowl and serve with the crusty bread. If you have leftover butter, it is a good idea to roll it up in a sausage-like roll in parchment paper and freeze it for later use.
Notes
There are many recipes online for Cioppino. Most call for tomatoes, wine, fish broth, seasonings, and seafood. If you want to be traditional, you would definitely use Dungeness Crab, shrimp, mussels, clams, squid, scallops, and fish that are local to the Bay Area, which would include Pacific cod, smelt, and halibut. Nowadays, we must consider grocery costs, seafood sustainability, and the timing of Dungeness crab season. The commercial Dungeness crab season in the Bay Area typically begins in January. Still, it is often delayed to protect whales from getting tangled in nets, and the season closes in May. If you can find Dungeness crab, it is expensive. I can’t imagine making a rigid recipe that would stress everyone out. My emphasis on this dish is to create a delicious Italian tomato stew packed with a variety of seafood, served with crusty French bread and salty, garlicky butter. It is so good, I want to make it more often. When I was cooking it, I imagined the fisherman coming in tired and hungry, throwing everything together in a hurry, using only what they caught, versus a rigid shopping list.
So, I chose a flexible route and got a variety of seafood available in local stores. I found frozen Mediterranean seafood combo packs containing mussels, squid, shrimp, and clams, and purchased whole blue crabs. I also bought lump crab meat and Pacific cod.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
281Fat
15 gSat. Fat
7 gCarbs
23 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
19 gSugar
6 gProtein
13 gSodium
370 mgCholesterol
41 mg
Real Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 3 cups skim milk
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (around 60-70% cacao), finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the unsweetened cocoa powder, and sugar.
- Gradually pour about 1/4 cup of the milk into the saucepan, whisking constantly until a smooth, thick paste forms.
- Pour in the remaining milk and whisk to combine.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Continue to whisk frequently, especially along the bottom of the pan, as the mixture heats up. Do not let it come to a boil. You want it hot and steaming, with small bubbles just beginning to form.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the finely chopped chocolate and the vanilla extract. Let it sit for about 30 seconds to begin melting, then whisk continuously until the chocolate is completely melted and the hot chocolate is velvety smooth.
- Pour into mugs and serve immediately.
- Optional topping: marshmallow or whipped cream.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
275Fat
13 gSat. Fat
7 gCarbs
33 gFiber
4 gNet carbs
29 gSugar
25 gProtein
9 gSodium
82 mgCholesterol
6 mg
Home Made Ranch Dressing
This is a tasty dressing that does not have salt added.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup Greek Yogurt, plain nonfat
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 sprigs fresh dill, about 1 tablespoon chopped
- 1 sprig fresh parsley, about 1 tablespoon chopped
- 1/2 tsp Korean red pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1-1/4 tsp garlic powder
- dash of Worcestershire
- dash of red wine vinegar
- 2 cups carrot sticks
- 2 cups celery sticks
- 1 cup radishes, stemmed, rinsed, cut in quarters
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup cucumber sticks
- 1 cup red pepper strips
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients together in a blender. Chill before serving.
- For the crudite platter, get all items ready and place on round platter when ready to serve. Place the dressing in the center.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
72Fat
6 gSat. Fat
1 gCarbs
4 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
3 gSugar
2 gProtein
2 gSodium
92 mgCholesterol
5 mg
Almond Cookies
This traditional recipe is a family heirloom and usually made around holiday time.
Ingredients
- 4 sticks plus 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted, (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups ground raw almonds
- 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for dusting the finished cookies.
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the almonds and flour and mix smooth.
- Scoop the dough and roll into small balls. Bake on a non-stick pan in a 350°F oven for about 12-14 minutes. The cookies are done when they are golden brown on the bottom. Allow to cool and then roll into powdered sugar.
- Makes 5 dozen cookies.
- Chef's Tips: Place on a serving platter and dust with a little more sugar. Keep them covered for best results.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
105.18Fat
8.03 gSat. Fat
4.01 gCarbs
7.41 gFiber
0.58 gNet carbs
6.84 gSugar
1.81 gProtein
1.52 gSodium
48.59 mgCholesterol
16.2 mg
Holiday Wreath Salad
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds mixed greens, ready to serve
- 1 beet
- 1 golden beet
- 1 pack of asparagus
- 1 red pepper
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- extra virgin olive oil
- vinegar
- vinegar glaze
- fresh herbs
- cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Find a large round platter and place a round bowl or torte ring in the center while you build the salad. You want to keep the center clear.
- Place the greens around the bowl and build them as high as you can.
- Slice the red beets and cut them into stars. Slice the golden beets and cut them into diamonds.
- Place the asparagus in 5 separate groups around the salad. Place the tomatoes next to the asparagus.
- Sprinkle with fresh cranberries and pomegranate seeds.
- Remove the bowl or torte ring from the center, taking care to keep the center clear.
- Sprinkle oil and vinegar in the center. Drizzle balsamic vinegar glaze in the center.
- Sprinkle all with fresh herbs and cracked black pepper.
- This salad makes a wonderful centerpiece. Serve it family style.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
60Fat
2 gSat. Fat
0 gCarbs
10 gFiber
2 gNet carbs
8 gSugar
4 gProtein
2 gSodium
49 mgCholesterol
0 mg
Apple Chai Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider (or unfiltered apple juice)
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon of chai spice mix (or use pumpkin pie spice mix)
- 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (save the peel for garnish)
- ice
- orange peel garnish
- Place the cider, vinegar, honey, and orange juice in a bar mixer or pitcher. Stir to mix well. Pour over ice and garnish with an orange peel. You can refrigerate it for later use for up to 8 hours.
Instructions
- Rim the glass by dipping in apple juice and then rolling in chai spice sugar. To make chai spice sugar, mix equal parts of chai spice with sugar.
- Place the cider, vinegar, syrup, juice, and bitters in a bar mixer or pitcher. Stir to mix well. Pour over ice and garnish with an orange peel. Sprinkle with a drop or two of bitters or orange turmeric shot over the top.
- You can refrigerate it for up to 8 hours for later use.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
81Fat
0 gSat. Fat
0 gCarbs
20 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
19 gSugar
17 gProtein
0 gSodium
6 mgCholesterol
0 mgHoliday Articles and Tips
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