homemade cioppino!

So, I'm one of those annoying people who likes to tell everyone that I NEVER get sick. In fact, I can't recall having the flu ever in my life. I'm sure I had it as a small child, but I don't remember. I haven't had it since. Well, that is until this week. Yes, the girl who never gets sick, got sick, with the flu, and it was possibly the closest to death I've ever felt. Dramatic, but true. Anyway, I'm feeling much better after four days of doing nothing but laying on the couch, sweating out a fever and watching a lot of Bravo TV. 

To celebrate my return health, Anders made us homemade cioppino! He made the whole thing from scratch...even the stock and it made such a difference in the soup that I think I'm going to start requesting homemade stock from here on out. Sorry, love!

Here is his recipe:

Anders' Homemade Fish Stock and Cioppino

Serves 8

For the Stock:

1 cup of chopped fennel

1 large carrot, chopped

1 yellow onion, quartered

4 cloves of garlic

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 cups of dry white wine

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 T. oregano

Splash of red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

The shell of a 1.5 pound lobster (save the meat for the soup)

The carcass of a 2 lb rockfish (bones and head) or any other lean, mild white fish, broken into pieces (save the meat for the soup)*

*If you don't want to filet your own fish, just ask the fishmonger to filet it for you, skin removed and save everything.

Stock Directions:

1. In a large stockpot, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add fennel, carrot and onion and saute 5 minutes until they start to sweat and soften. Add garlic, oregano, red wine and red pepper flakes and stir.

2. Add the lobster shell and fish carcass and saute 5 more minutes.

3. Add the dry white wine, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir often. Since the wine is open, go ahead and drink a glass.

4. Add water until contents are covered, about 5 cups, and simmer for a half hour minimum...longer if possible.

5. Strain stock in a separate bowl. Save stock for later, discard the rest.

For the Soup:

3/4 lb of spot prawns (shells on)

1.5 lbs of lobster meat, diced small

2 rockfish fillets, diced small

3/4 lb of bay scallops

1 lb of clams

1 onion, diced

1 shallot, diced

1 cup of fennel

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Red pepper flakes

1 Tb. oregano

1 teaspoon of salt

28oz can of diced tomatoes

3 tbs. of tomato paste

1 tbs of olive oil

Soup directions:

1. Add oil to the same stockpot you used for stock and saute onion, fennel, shallot and garlic over medium heat until soft about 5 minutes. Add oregano, red pepper flakes and salt. Stir.

2. Add lobster and saute another 5 minutes.

3. Add fish, scallops and spot prawns and saute another 5 minutes.

4. Add the can of diced tomatoes, tomato paste and the stock you made earlier.

5. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add clams and simmer an additional 15 minutes.

6. Serve and enjoy!