Alioto's Crab Cioppino

Name: Alioto's Crab Cioppino
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H40M0.000S
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 3/4 cup olive oil; 1 1/2 onions, chopped; 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped; 18 fresh basil leaves, julienned; 4 whole peeled and seeded tomatoes, crushed; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup chopped onions; 3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped; Crab butter, optional; 1 1/2 cups dry white wine; 4 1/2 cups tomato sauce; 4 crushed canned tomatoes, peeled and seeded; Pinch red pepper flakes; 1 cup clam juice or fish broth; 3 fresh crabs, 1 1/2 pounds each, liquid and roe reserved; 3 whole or 3 pounds cracked crab; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 24 manila clams, well-scrubbed; 24 mussels, well-scrubbed; 18 prawns; Chopped fresh parsley

Getting reviews...

Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr 40 min
Active: 1 hr

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr 40 min
Active: 1 hr

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce:

3/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

18 fresh basil leaves, julienned

4 whole peeled and seeded tomatoes, crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cioppino:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

Crab butter, optional

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

4 1/2 cups tomato sauce

4 crushed canned tomatoes, peeled and seeded

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 cup clam juice or fish broth

3 fresh crabs, 1 1/2 pounds each, liquid and roe reserved

3 whole or 3 pounds cracked crab

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

24 manila clams, well-scrubbed

24 mussels, well-scrubbed

18 prawns

Chopped fresh parsley

Directions

For the tomato sauce: Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and diced onions and cook until the onions become transparent. Stir in the basil, tomatoes and some salt and black pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.
For the cioppino: Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute the onions until transparent. Add the garlic and saute until it begins to brown. If available, stir in crab butter and let cook slowly for 5 minutes (crab butter is saffron yellow in color and adds a distinctive rich flavor). Pour in the wine to keep the butter and garlic from burning. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes and red pepper flakes and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add the broth, crabs with their liquid and roe and some salt and black pepper. Cover and continue to simmer over low heat for about 8 minutes. Add the clams, mussels and prawns and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with fresh parsley.