By Request Betty Shimabukuro

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Making cioppino
the simple way

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A 6-foot-high, not very thick partition separates our section of the newsroom from the sports department. Occasionally an emissary from that side will cross over to talk about movies or music or, believe it or not, soap operas.

Our most frequent visitor, though, is Dave Reardon, who covers University of Hawaii football but is also a world champion eater. He comes over a lot to talk about food, most recently to ask for a recipe for cioppino.

I was just going to hand over my cookbook until I realized that this particular recipe deserves larger exposure at this time of year -- it makes for a great holiday party idea. I've used it a few times, including one Christmas Eve, and it has always drawn rave reviews, way out of proportion to its simplicity.

What you do is require each guest to bring a half-pound of shellfish. Have the broth simmering when they arrive, and add their contributions to the pot. In minutes, dinner is served, with minimal effort on your part. Add crusty bread and a salad, and the menu is complete.

Cioppino was born on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, based on a northern Italian seafood stew called "ciuppin." It was a favorite of fishermen who could get a pot simmering, add whatever seafood was handy and have a hot meal while at sea. As such, it is a dish of many variations, the only rules being that it must have tomatoes and must have seafood.

This version is very simple. You can add to its depth and complexity by pre-steaming your bivalves in wine or vermouth, then adding that pumped-up clam broth to the pot.

Cioppino

Adapted from "Seafood: A Collection of Heart-Healthy Recipes," by Janis Harsila and Evie Hansen (National Seafood Educators, 1986)

1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, drained and mashed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon EACH dried basil, thyme and oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 whole cloves
1-1/2 pounds mixed seafood (for example, shelled shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels or fish fillets cut in 1-inch cubes)

Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, wine and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.

Stir in seafood and simmer until done. Note that fish will take longest to cook, 3 to 4 minutes, so add that first. Shrimp should be cooked just until it turns pink; scallops, until opaque. Clams and mussels should be cooked just until the shells open. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (using only fish): 210 calories, 8 g fat, 405 mg sodium, 45 mg cholesterol.

Variation: Make a clam stock for the pot by sautéing 2 tablespoons garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil, then adding 1/2 cup vermouth and a dozen clams. Cover and steam until clams open. Strain. Add liquid to the simmering cioppino pot, and allow flavors to blend, about 4 minutes. Stir in raw seafood. Add steamed clams at the end, just before scooping up.

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Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.