January 03, 2008

January is the height of winter in Southern California and what better way to celebrate than to enjoy a steaming hot freshly made bowl of San Francisco Style Cioppinno

Try some today with our delicious warm San Francisco Sourdough Bread
Only $21.95
We also include a bib & crab crackers!

Cioppinno History

Cioppino

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ciopinno Link on Wikipedia

Cioppino is a fish stew derived from the various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine. Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in the dish's place of origin is typically a combination of dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish with fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce, often served over spaghetti or other long pasta and toasted buttered bread, either sourdough or baguette. The dish is comparable to bouillabaisse, burrida, and bourride of the French Provence, and to cacciucco and brodetto from Italy .^[1]

It was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco.^[2] Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. The name comes from ciuppin, a word in the Ligurian dialect of the port city of Genoa, which described the local fish stew.^[1] At least one restaurant in San Francisco, the eponymous Cioppino's, describes^[3]an apocryphal story^[2] in which the name derived from the heavily Italian-accented cry of the wharf cooks for the fishermen to "chip in" some of their catch to the collective soup pot.

Generally the seafood is cooked in broth and served in the shell, including the crab (if any) that is often served halved or quartered. It therefore requires special utensils, typically a crab fork and cracker. Depending on the restaurant, it may be accompanied by a bib, second possibly damp napkin, or a second bowl for the shells. As a variation, the "lazy man's" cioppino is served with seafood shelled and crab legs cracked

Crab Information
History:
Dungeness crab, reportedly named after a small fishing village on the Straight of Juan de Fuca in Washington state, have been harvested commercially along the Pacific coast since the late 1800's. They range from central California to the Gulf of Alaska, and have long been part of the Northwest's seafood heritage.

Harvest Method:
Dungeness are caught in circular steel traps commonly called 'pots'. Weighing anywhere from 60 to 125 lbs and measuring 36� to 48� in diameter, each pot has a length of line and a buoy attached to mark its position for retrieval. The pots are baited with squid or razor clams to attract the bottom-dwelling crabs, and set on the ocean floor following the contour of the adjacent coastline. They are allowed to 'soak' for a one to four-day period, depending on the fishing conditions, weather and time of year. The average boat fishes 300-500 pots in depths of 5-100 fathoms (30 to 600 feet) of water. After being brought to the surface by a hydraulic power-block, the crabs are sorted and kept alive on-board the vessel in circulated seawater until they are delivered to shore-side processing plants.
Only mature male crabs measuring 6 �� across the shell are harvested. Juvenile males and all females are returned to the sea to insure healthy stocks for future harvests.
Seasons:
The ocean crab season along the coast begins on December 1 and continues through August 14. The peak harvest occurs during the first eight weeks of the season with up to 75% of the annual production landed during this period. Effort traditionally decreases in the spring as fishermen gear up for other coastal fisheries, but fresh crab continues to be available throughout the summer months thanks to a small number of boats that fish right up to the closure in August.
Vessels:
A 'limited entry' system was imposed on the crab fishery in 1996, with a limited number of permits issued based on prior participation. Vessels used to harvest crab range from the small wooden troller with its two-man crew to large steel combination vessels with a four-man crew capable of fishing around the clock for extended periods of time.
Annual Landings:
Dungeness crab landings are naturally cyclical. For example,  Oregon's harvest has fluctuated from a low of 3.2 million lbs to a high of 18.2 million lbs in recent years. Average annual landings in Oregon are in the neighborhood of 10.3 million pounds. Total production for the entire region (California to Alaska) averages 42.5 million lbs annually.
Catch Value:
The 'ex-vessel' value of Oregon's Dungeness crab fishery fluctuates yearly, based on the size of the harvest and prevailing market conditions. In the most recent 10-year period, the 'to-the-boat' value ranged from $5 million to $31 million dollars. The Dungeness crab fishery is the most valuable 'single-species' fishery in Oregon.
Processors:
Most of Oregon�s coastal seafood processors purchase and process Dungeness crab during the course of the season. Some larger companies produce a wide variety of market forms, are capable of volume orders and maintain frozen inventories for year-around sales. Other smaller companies specialize in specific market forms and target market niches. Many ship 'direct' to out-of-state customers

Availability...
During the peak of the Dungeness crab harvest (Dec - April) fresh crab are readily available.

Prolonged winter storms will occasionally disrupt the supply so it's a good idea to keep an eye on the weather when planning an important event or function that features fresh Dungeness. Availability of live crab is best during the winter and spring months. Crabs tend to be weaker during the summer 'molting' period and do not ship or travel well. Retail prices typically are at their lowest during the winter months when the harvest is in full swing and crabs are being landed by the 'boat load'. As production drops off, prices at both the wholesale and retail levels tend to increase accordingly. Many supermarkets feature Dungeness crab at attractive 'ad prices' in conjunction with major winter holidays, making this an especially good time to purchase and enjoy crab.

Cooking & Cleaning Your Dungeness Crab
Cooking
Place live crab in boiling, salted water. Cook for 18-20 minutes. The crab will turn bright orange. Immerse the crab in cold water to cool before cleaning if serving cold.  If serving hot, crack the back open, run under hot water to rinse away viscera, replace top shell and serve.
Cleaning
Many feel the Oregon Dungeness Crab is best when served warm, straight from the shell and dipped in drawn butter or seafood cocktail sauce.   Follow these simple steps.
To remove the back, hold base of crab with one hand, place thumb under shell at mid-point, and pull off the shell.
The leaf-like gills are now exposed. Gently scrape them away with thumb or spoon edge.
Wash away the "crab butter" (viscera) under a heavy stream of water.


Cracking  Dungeness Crab Like a Pro!
If you've never cracked a crab yourself, we'll have you performing like a pro in no time. Crack in the privacy of your own kitchen. Just follow these easy steps.

1.) Twist off each leg (including the two large legs with claws) where they join the body. Break off small pincer and discard. Use your fingers and a self assured manner.
2.) Break large claws in two at the dotted line, and crack with nut cracker. Or place on a cutting board and give a light whack with a mallet or small hammer. Most purists consider this the choicest meat in the entire crab, so oohs and ahs are appropriate. You may wish to nibble as you go, dipping your crab meat in drawn butter or cocktail sauce., or squeeze on a spritz of fresh lemon juice.
3.) Crack next two joints of largest legs with nutcracker or mallet, and remove juicy, succulent meat. Its perfectly acceptable - if you're carried away with the proper amount of adventure - to suck meat out of the shell, as if using a straw. Or if you feel timid, use a nut pick or cocktail fork to remove.
4.) Repeat the cracking procedure on the top two joints of rest of legs.
5.) Smaller joints of legs can be snapped with fingers and meat sucked out or removed with pick or fork. Or, show a little creative flair and use the pointed joints at the tip of crab legs as picks!
6.) Grasp main body of crab with two hands and firmly snap in two. Place each section on cutting board and strike with mallet to break small "bones" and loosen meat. Or, the more flamboyant and independent crackers may simply use their fingers to separate and remove meat. A pick or cocktail fork comes in handy, too.

Handling... Live crab should be put into a well-aerated chilled-saltwater tank (temp 45�-50� F.) as soon after arrival as possible. Immerse slowly to facilitate gill function. Oregon Dungeness crab can be kept with live lobster, but should be separated by a divider.
Quality Spec's... Live Oregon Dungeness crabs should show signs of activity and should react to stimulation. Fresh whole-cooks should have 'heft' and not feel light. Shell (back) should be moist and intact, legs and claws should be attached.

For more information, pictures and recipes go to;

http://www.oregondungeness.org

http://www.dungeness.com/crab