Fourth Street Grills Cioppino Food

GRILLED CIOPPINO WITH FIRE-ROASTED TOMATO AND VEGETABLE PUREE

Steps:

• For the cioppino: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Wipe down the grates with an oil-blotted towel to clean and create a nonstick surface.
• Squeeze the lemon halves (catching the seeds and discarding) into a large bowl, then add the lemon halves to the bowl as well. Add the wine, olive oil, capers, salt, chile flakes, peppers and garlic. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• Clean and cut the crabs: remove the hard shell, cut off the tail and discard the gills, then cut the halves into pieces so each piece has 2 to 3 legs. Place the crabs, scallops, shrimp and halibut in the marinade and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, giving it a stir after 30 minutes.
• For the puree: Place the tomatoes, bell peppers, fennel and onions in a large gratin dish, and then drizzle with three tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the fennel seeds and chile flakes and toss to coat everything evenly. Cut the top off of the bulb of garlic to expose the cloves. Place the garlic on a large piece of foil and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch each salt and pepper. Wrap up the foil into a tight pouch. Place the vegetables on the grill and the garlic pouch in the corner of the grill over indirect heat. Grill the vegetables on both sides until tender and charred around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables and set aside. Roast the garlic over direct heat until medium brown and paste-like, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the grill, cool enough to handle, then squeeze out the garlic paste from the bulb and set aside. Working in batches, add the vegetables and garlic paste to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until sauce-like in appearance and consistency. Transfer to a large saute pan set over medium heat. Stir and simmer until the sauce slightly thickens, 7 to 8 minutes. Add half of the basil and the ouzo, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Grill the crab for 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Grill the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes then flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Finally add the halibut and scallops to the grill; cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side then turn over and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove all the seafood from the grill to a platter.
• Serve the seafood family-style with the sauce generously ladled on top. Garnish with the remaining basil, the quartered lemons and the reserved fennel fronds.

FOURTH STREET GRILL'S CIOPPINO

Steps:

• To prepare the croutons:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• To make the garlic oil, grind the whole head of garlic, including the skins, in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine sieve and add to the oil.
• Place the thin slices of baguette in a large mixing bowl and pour in enough garlic oil to coat thoroughly. Toss gently. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool.
• To prepare the rouille:
• Mash the garlic in a mortar with the peppers and the cayenne until they form a paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the egg yolk and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, drop by drop, whisking constantly until an emulsion begins to form. When all the oil is absorbed, taste and season with lemon juice and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To prepare the cioppino:
• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Place well-drained tomatoes in a layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, or until lightly caramelized.
• Combine the stock, tomatoes, saffron and orange zest in a large kettle over low heat. Set aside and keep warm.
• Put enough olive oil to cover the bottom in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add the fennel, leeks and carrots and cook about 2 minutes. Add the shallots and cook a minute more. Add the garlic, turn the heat to high, and add the Pernod and flame if possible. Add the fish stock combination, the clams and the crab. Cover tightly. After about 2 minutes add mussels and cover. As soon as the mussels and clams have opened, reduce heat to simmer.
• Have 8 large soup bowls warmed and arrange all the shellfish, with a quarter crab, 4 mussels and 3 clams in each bowl.
• Add the squid to the broth and let cook for 30 seconds. Taste the broth and season with salt. Arrange the squid in the bowls. Arrange 4 croutons upright in each bowl. Top a fifth with a tablespoon of rouille and place flat in the bowl. Carefully pour in broth and vegetables and serve immediately. Pass additional rouille at the table.

CIOPPINO

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.
• Add onion, garlic, oregano and fennell seeds and saute' till onion is tender (about 8 minutes).
• Add tomatoes, clam juice, wine and liquid reserved from clams.
• Increase heat and boil till slightly thickened (about 15 minutes).
• Add clams, shrimp and crabmeat.
• Reduce heat and simmer till shrimp are just opaque in center (about 2 minutes).
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• A teaspoon of red pepper flakes (which is optional) will add a nice spiciness to the stew.