In a stew

CIOPPINO

a fish gathering   
serves six to eight 

Cioppino (chuh-peen-oh) sounds really Italian.  Like Chop Suey sounds so Asian. 

Well, with all best intents, according to somewhat trustworthy lore, Cioppino started on the docks of San Francisco with all the fish mongers at their stalls ‘chipping in’ for the day’s market communal fish stew.  That became a song of sorts as purveyors often make, singing ‘chip-in-Oh!’ while soliciting for the fish sellers to contribute – which evolved to what we now know. 

Heat oven to 400°

Tools:  5 quart Dutch oven, cutting board and knife, rimmed sheet pan or cookie sheet, large fry/saute pan, mid-sized bowl

Prep:  Fresh or fresh thawed fish, cut to bite-sized or just larger.  Shell the shrimp (some choose to leave the tail on for a ‘handle’ but I find it inconvenient in soups and salads) – best if de-veined and butterflied (partially slit down the back to curl inside out when cooked - it makes a great ‘bite’ texture for shrimp).  Scrub the bi-shelled creatures' surfaces well of dirt and grit.  Some folks prep clams and oysters by placing the live shell creatures in a swirled bath of cool fresh water and a sprinkle of corn meal, which the creature exchanges for the grit it has in its interior (which takes about two hours to half a day).  When ‘bearding’ clams/oysters – the removal of the stringy, tough fibers near the hinge – do not do so until just ready to cook.  The removal of the ‘beard’ will begin the demise of the creature, and doing this any lengthy time in advance will definitely undermine the success of your dish. 

Overcooking is a big deal with fish as well.  Every effort against that malady is foremost in this recipe.

3-5 cloves garlic, peeled, medium-thin sliced
            (but grouped together single layer when roasting)

2    bell peppers (color your choice, red is sweetest),

cut into small bite-sized strips

2    small onions, halved pole to pole, cut off ends and peeled,

sliced in small wedges like an orange

2    medium carrots, small bite-sized diced

3-4 stalks celery, small bite-sized diced

1-3 peppers (jalapeno or Serrano) stemmed,

seeded, diced small
            AND/OR 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1    smallish bulb fennel, sliced quarter-moons 

2    tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

3-4 lbs fish (fresh or fresh thawed!) your call – crab and lobster (pre-cooked, shelled), shrimp (peeled), scallops, oysters, clams, mussels, squid/calamari (cleaned), plus a good hearty white fish like cod, haddock, scrod, trout, tilapia, etc (diced 1-2 inch cubes).  If using shell/bivalve fish options like oysters, mussels and clams, at least double that specific amount in weight (you don’t eat those heavy shells!)

1   pkg salt pork or fatback, about 10-12 oz,

skin removed, rinsed well, diced ¼ inch

2-3  lbs tomatoes, diced medium small plus 1 cup broth,

or 1  28 oz can whole tomatoes, juice and all

1   cup dry white wine

2   quarts chicken stock and/or fish stock 

(watch sodiums and salts)

2   bottles clam juice

1   tsp oregano or 1  tbs  fresh minced

1   tsp dill or 1 tbs fresh minced

1   tsp thyme  or 1 tbs fresh minced
2   3-4 inch peel (color only, no white) orange peel

1   bay leaf

pinch saffron (optional but so nice)

1   tbs (splash) red wine, champagne or sherry vinegar

several glugs or ¼  cup brandy, Courvoisier, cognac,

Armagnac – optional but again so nice

fresh finely diced parsley and basil with just a tiny bit of
            fresh mint and rosemary

Preparation:  Place vegetable pieces in bowl, drizzle oil over, toss and cover all the bits.  Spread out on a baking sheet and salt and pepper.  Place in hot (400°) oven and roast for ten to fifteen minutes, flipping over halfway through.   Place the fish bits in the bowl and do the same oil drizzle and toss.  Remove hot sheet pan from oven and carefully relocate veggies to half of the pan, then place large fin-type fish pieces which are thicker on pan first.  Return to oven for 2-3 minutes, remove, then add shrimp, calamari and/or scallops in with the half-roasted vegetables and fish chunks – plus a fresh sprinkling of salt and pepper – and return to hot oven (could be reset to 'broil') for another four to six minutes (not flipping, watch carefully) until no longer translucent – lightly golden and just underdone (but definitely NOT overdone).

Meanwhile, in the cool stockpot or Dutch oven, add pork bits and bring both pan and bits to heat together.  When beginning to sizzle and color, add the vinegar and let sputter till almost dry, then add the dried spices/bay leaf stirring well, and let bloom a few minutes in the fats.  Next add the tomatoes, wine, clam juice and broth bringing to a bold simmer and adjust flame to support that simmer while carefully breaking apart the tomatoes.  Now add orange peels and reduce liquid content by a quarter to blend and strengthen flavors.  Next carefully add the clams, oysters and mussels.  Simmer gently, covered, while shellfish open and come to perfect done (around three-five minutes) – releasing their 'liquor' into the broth.  Now sprinkle over with fresh herbs if chosen.  When the roasted vegetables and fish in the oven have come ready (fish just under-done), remove and add to the tomato/shellfish mix (separate the garlic and mash well, then blend well with a bit of the broth in a cup and return to the stew) and bring to heat gently until all the shellfish have nicely finished cooking or opened (remove any shells that won’t).  Taste and adjust seasonings.
 

Lastly add the brandy and final fresh herbs, along with any pre-cooked fish (lobster, crab etc), simmering very softly just until you can’t stand it anymore (mostly residual heat to bring all to same heat level) – bring to the table – and serve in a generous bowl with a ‘knob’ of fresh sweet butter on top and a wedge or two of lemon on the side, along with the sourest, crustiest sourdough bread you can find.

Options: Potatoes or pasta may be added, but best if pre-cooked, and added at the final simmer (or in the case of pasta, served over at plating).   Cream always is welcome, but the richness of this dish doesn't require such a final heart confrontation.  But your likes can decide.

BEEF STEW 

Stroganoff meets Bourguignon     serves six to eight

I love both beef stroganoff and also beef bourguignon, so my bent way of thinking thought 'why not trying the two styles together?'  It may have been a long work-week, or a Saturday of wine tasting, I don’t know, but it worked out terrific.  Once upon a time I made beef stroganoff with pickles in it (I had read that this was a traditionally original addition), so with the idea that I love pickles with hamburgers, which is also a foundational beef taste, I gave it a shot.  I loved it.  So, you should too, just don’t overcook them.  Here’s that wild mix of traditions, I hope you like it as much as I did.  I just hope I can remember what I did!

Heat oven to mild heat 275-300°

Tools:  Dutch oven, cutting board and knife, saute/skillet pan

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs beef (chuck roast, top round, loin etc)

           trimmed of gristle, hard fat and/or silverskin,

           cut into bite-sized strips (1 x 2 x ¾)

¼   cup of my spice rub (equal parts – or 1 tbs each –

           paprika, powdered mustard, garlic powder, salt)

2    tsp ground pepper

1    tsp dried thyme

¼   cup flour

2    tbs oil (canola, peanut, vegetable, safflower)
2    tbs butter

2    cups (1 pint) dry red wine (burgundy, pinot noir, merlot)

1    pkg (about 8 oz) fatback/salt pork, trimmed

           of thick skin, rinsed, diced about ¼ inch

1    lb sliced mushrooms

2 medium-sized carrots, sliced at sharp diagonal, 
           then cut in half, lengthwise
1    lb pearl onions (pkg frozen, thawed is great)

1    tbs tomato paste

4    cups (1 quart) chicken or chicken/beef combined broth/stock
1    cup coffee, freshly brewed and strong

2    tbs Hoisin sauce
¼   cup rich fruit jelly - cherry, currant, grape etc.

¼   cup bread and butter pickle slices, cut

           into ‘matchstick’ strips, plus 1 tbs jar vinegar

3-4 green onions, both white and green parts, sliced medium-fine

¼   cup dry sherry    
½   package plain gelatin, bloomed/dissolved in sherry
splash cognac or balsamic vinegar

      1    cup sour cream, yogurt, Greek yogurt

Preparation:  Mix spice rub, pepper, thyme and flour in paper or zip lock bag.  Place meat bits in bag, puff of air and seal.  Shake till all the meat pieces are well covered and remove the bits, saving the left-over powder mix.  In large, broad-bottomed, coverable oven-safe pan (Dutch oven is perfect), heat oil and butter till water has simmered out of butter and just beginning to brown and place meat bits in single layer to sauté, flipping till all pieces are browned.  Cover the simmering meat bits in the wine, coffee and half the broth, bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer and place in low heated oven, covered, for one and a half hours.  Check occasionally for dryness, stir it all up a bit, and add only tiny bits of broth or more wine if necessary.  The last half-hour, add the wine/gelatin mix.  Stir well.

While the meat is braising, in large cool skillet, place pork bits and bring both pan and pork to heat, until sizzling.  Stir occasionally till just beginning to brown all sides.  Add carrots and pearl onions and bring all to a nice golden, then add the tomato paste.  Allow the paste to brown a bit – stirring into the mass – then dust the leftover flour/herb mix over all the bits and stir into the fat briefly until aroma arises.  Add the mushrooms, Hoisin sauce, jelly and second half of the broth, carefully stir well, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer - simmering long enough to ensure good blending of the dry and wet ingredients and the tenderizing of the vegetables, and to reduce the liquids some (about ten to fifteen minutes), then remove from fire and hold.

At the end of the hour and a half, remove the covered meat from the oven, test for tenderness, and if satisfied - place on low-heated stovetop.  Combine the skillet mix into the braised meat, blend well and continue to heat gently for ten to fifteen minutes more.  Add the green onions, pickles, vinegar, and simmer for five minutes longer and add the liquor and/or balsamic vinegar.  Adjust seasonings and thickness if desired.  At serving add the sour cream/yogurt - the overall color is best if not blended in but rather dolloped over.

Options:  more veggies is never a bad idea.  Celery/celery root, potatoes, turnips, greens, peas (frozen at the last is easiest and best) and/or squash - and more - can always be considered for a greatly hearty stew, as your 'ear' thinks - or what you may have leftover!  

Serve over sturdy, flat, buttered noodles (homemade or dried) – or crushed butter-fried pre-baked (or boiled) potatoes – or in a tortilla – or on rice.  Hey, you decide.



CHICKEN GUISADA
(gee–sah–dah)
serves six to ten

Some folks get the term guisada mixed up with the term asada.  Well, basically - the first is meat prepared braised till very tender in a sauce or gravy, while asada is meat prepared on a grill or a dry heat preparation till caramelized and a great chew.  There, now you're fluent in Spanglish.

Stewed chicken, nothing new here – but this variety will make a nice surprise.  Use it as a filling for tacos, or even more continentally, stuffed in hollowed out breads, or in puff-pastry or pita shells, or with risotto or penne, or add to leftover soup, or humbly sopped on a rustic crust in one hand and hearty cheese in the other.

Tools:  stockpot, cutting board, frying or sauté pan

Prep:  There is now offered in most every supermarket out there a variety of chicken presentations in the frozen foods section.  Most helpful is the selection that offers individually frozen chicken parts – such as skinned, boneless thighs or breasts or tenders.

Other companion ingredients are vegetables and spices, so the creation is not difficult, and the rewards are huge.

Ingredients:    

            3-4   pounds frozen or fresh chicken pieces

            1½   lbs tomatoes (drained canned whole 28 oz,

                        or fresh), roughly diced

1     tbs dried crushed basil or ¼ cup fresh leaves,

          then chopped

             ¼   cup olive, grapeseed and/or canola oil           

1     lbs carrots diced, ½ to ¾ inch

3    stalks celery diced ½ to ¾ inch

2     medium onions diced ½ to ¾ inch

              2    small or one large mild green peppers, roasted,

                        peeled:  bell, poblano and/or New Mexico,

diced ½ to ¾ inch or 1 or 2   7oz canned mild

chiles (as you prefer), diced (peeling not absolutely 

necessary because of size of dice)

3     cloves garlic, chopped/minced fine

            1-2   jalapeños or Serranos, stemmed, seeded if desired,

                        chopped fine

1     tbs oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:  In a large stockpot, place chicken parts (frozen or not) in lightly salted water, till just covering the chicken.  Add the basil and bring to boil, lower to simmer and cook covered until the chicken is done.  Remove from broth, allowing broth to continue at high heat, uncovered to reduce.  Let the chicken parts cool enough to remove skin and de-bone if necessary, and cut or tear into inch or so sized chunks.  Replace chicken to reduced broth, add the tomatoes and continue to cook, reduced to a simmer again – and encourage the meat fibers to ‘break up’ in construction, agitating with spoon or spatula or potato masher.  Simmer until the tomatoes have mostly broken down, the broth has considerably reduced and thickened (almost dissipated but very moist), and the chunks have tenderized to a shred.

Meanwhile, you have placed in a medium-hot sauté pan:  the oil, heated well, and added all the vegetables, cooking till tender, then add the garlic and oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper and have been sautéing these elements patiently at a medium light sizzle temperature until they are like candy – sweet, caramelized and just tender, about fifteen or twenty minutes (the time it took to prepare the chicken till ready).

Finally, carefully join the vegetables, spices, juices and oils with the simmered chicken.    You’ve created a masterpiece!

Options:  Try this folded in with, or just presented under, the green chile sauce (in this book) – wonderful together.

Add along with it:  diced or sliced fresh hot peppers, pickled peppers and onions, chopped cilantro, sautéed mushrooms, diced cherry peppers, diced olives (black and/or green), corn kernels, shredded cheese, grated radishes, sour cream or thickened yogurt. Try any of the above with:  A taco with queso fresco and shredded cabbage; with lettuce, fresh tomato and raw onion on a slice of crusty bread; like a hash, with cracked eggs baked on top; or as a stuffing for peppers, tomatoes, pork chops or pita. 

Anybody hungry?