Cioppino Experiment

Cioppino is such a treat, but rarely seen on restaurant menus around here. I plunged ahead with an experimental recipe and....I liked it better than the last restaurant cioppino I had. Details:

Saute 1/2 onion and 1/2 shallot in olive oil. Add garlic and cook briefly. Then...I cheated a little. I had a jar of cioppino sauce I found at World Market. I added that and about a 1/2 cup of dry, white wine and brought it to a simmer. Added a jar of clam juice and a tablespoon of red pepper flakes. Added 1 tsp of sea salt. Simmered for 20 minutes. Add in whatever fish you like. Clams are usually in this fish stew, but I couldn't find any live clams in Boise, and canned wouldn't be right - so I skipped them. I added bay scallops, chopped tilapia and raw shrimp and cooked until they were opaque. Stirred in about 2 tablespoons of butter and served topped with snow crab.