Christmas Cioppino from Susan Buckhart and Marcia Landry

Cioppino from Shirley Adams, via Susan Adams Buckhart and Marcia Adams Landry

Continuing our discussion of Christman recipes, Susan Adams Buckhart offers this: 

Hi Sue;

Sorry it has taken me so long - somehow in this crazy economy work has been busy and I had to hunt the recipe down in one of my mom's recipe books. Marcia said she makes a double recipe for the sauce cause she likes more sauce and she plays around with the amount of fish depending on how many people she's serving etc, but here is the recipe as it reads in the book:

2 lbs fresh clams
1 -2 fresh crab
1 lb prawns
5 lbs rock cod or striped bass (my mom never put this in - she substituted scallops but you won't need 5 lbs.)
1/2 C olive oil
3 medium onions - thinly sliced
2 or 3 garlic cloves - minced
1 C chopped parsley
1 (No. 2 1/2) can solid packed tomatoes
2 C tomato sauce
1/2 C Burgundy or Sherry
Salt and Pepper to taste

Soak clams in fresh water for at least one hour. Clean crab, cut up into 6 pieces and crack shell. Clean prawns (my mom left them in the shell - it adds a lot of flavor) and remove black vein along the back. If you're using cod or bass cut into 1" pieces - if using large scallops cut in half or small scallops keep whole.
Cook onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add garlic and parsley, cook 2 minutes longer, then add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer 30 - 45 minutes. Add wine and blend. Arrange in a deep saucepan in layers, the clams, pieces of crab, prawns and cod or scallops. Pour tomato sauce over all, cover and cook about 30 minutes. Do not stir but occasionally move pan back and forth over the flame to prevent fish from sticking.
Serves 8-10

I'd be curious to know how similar this is to your recipe. Hope you enjoy. I'm just off to make pizza dough for tomorrow. Our San Francisco 49er's are playing tomorrow for a chance in the Super Bowl! Keeping our fingers crossed.......
Susan