cioppino

This cioppino version by Jessica Gavin harkens back to a certain city by the bay. We think you'll be quite pleased with the results.

At today’s farmers market I saw the most incredible sustainably farmed mussels and oysters from Carlsbad Aquafarm. The Old Towne Orange Farmer’s Market vendor had completely inspired my main course for tonight’s dinner. After getting some information and tips from the farmer, I immediately thought of steaming the mussels in a tomato broth to create a San Francisco style mussels cioppino dish, especially since tomatoes are ripe and in season.

For the full recipe, check out her blog, then be sure to upload your latest food-related obsessions with us in the YumSugar Community. If you're on Instagram, join us by tagging your pictures with the hashtag #savorysight.

The feast of the seven fishes is a traditional Italian-American meal that's enjoyed on Christmas Eve and features seven different fish courses. Since cooking seven fish dishes for one meal is a lot of work, I recommend making a dinner that's inspired by the custom, but with half the amount of fish. With its white fish, shrimp, and Dungeness crab, this oven-baked cioppino recipe is perfect.

Unlike most seafood stews, which are thrown together just before serving, this version requires the fish to sit in the sauce overnight. Because the raw shrimp and whitefish are bathed in the rich tomato sauce, the resulting dish is wildly flavorful and the seafood is succulent and plump. It's wonderful for holiday entertaining because the night of a dinner party, the only thing you have to do is toss it in the oven. Seriously, this cioppino is a must make, so learn the technique.