SEAFOOD STEW
With Dungeness crab season in full swing, Scoma's, a San Francisco's restaurant, shows us how to select the freshest crabs for use in their Lazy Man's Cioppino. Cioppino -- a seafood stew -- is a San Francisco tradition that started on Fisherman's Wharf where leftover seafood from the day's catch was "chipped into" a simmering pot of stew to share with family and friends at supper. Today, it's one of Scoma's most requested dishes, and anyone can make it at home with some tips.
Go to http://www.scomas.com and click on "Scoma's Cooking Demos," where you'll find a link to the new Lazy Man's Cioppino video cooking demo. Allow a moment for the clip to load and enjoy a demonstration by Chef Scarabosio that takes the mystery out of preparing and sharing this hearty seafood stew. Serve in a large bowl with fresh sourdough bread to sop up the flavorful broth.

Here's the recipe.
Scoma's Lazy Man's Cioppino
(Serves 4 - 6)
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
6 cups of store-bought tomato pasta sauce
1 pound rock cod cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds clams
12 ounces prawns (deveined and peeled)
1 pound cooked crab meat
8 ounces shrimp
12 ounces scallops
2 cups clam juice
Salt and pepper
Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook garlic for one minute. Add the onions and let them cook for two or three minutes. Turn heat to high and add the wine to deglaze. Cook for 2-3 minutes (or until reduced in half) then reduce heat to medium. Add fresh oregano and basil. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Slowly add fish, shellfish and shrimp. Bring cioppino back to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until all the seafood is cooked.
Add cooked crab meat. Thin the cioppino to your liking with clam juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.