This is a very "hands on" presentation — be sure your guests are up for it.
Frozen bags of mixed shellfish are a convenient and economical option for most of your shellfish. e.g. Costco frozen "Premium Seafood Medley" which comes in 2.5lb bags.
If you're fond of one particular shellfish (like crab or shrimp) feel free to add more "to taste".
Frozen bags of mixed shellfish are a convenient and economical option for most of your shellfish. e.g. Costco frozen "Premium Seafood Medley" which comes in 2.5lb bags.
If you're fond of one particular shellfish (like crab or shrimp) feel free to add more "to taste".

Servings |
Servings
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Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 clove of garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 Whole Dungeness crab — 2lbs or larger. Cooked, cleaned and cracked. This is the star of the show!
- 1/2 lb firm-fleshed white fish fillets cut in 2-inch cubes — Something from the ocean, e.g. halibut, cod, mahi mahi or grouper. NOT tilapia, you heathens.
- 2 qt Cioppino Sauce — See the cioppino sauce recipe, adjust to same number of servings you set for this recipe
- 2 dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pinch saffron — Nice, but OK to skip if you don't have any on hand. It's expensive.
- 1 lb linquini — Fresh is best, if you can find it.
Other Shellfish
- 2.5 lb frozen bag of mixed shellfish or:
- 1/2 lb Little Neck clams (live)
- 1/2 lb mussels (live) — scrubbed & de-bearded
- 1/2 lb medium shrimp — shell on
- 1/2 lb squid tubes — cut in rings
- 1/2 lb scallops — either whole bay scallops (small), or quartered sea scallops (big)
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Other Shellfish
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Instructions
- Put the olive oil, butter, and garlic in a wide, deep pot over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, but not brown.
- Boil & drain linguini, set aside and keep warm
- Add the wine
Using Bag O'Shellfish (If frozen adjust times below)
- Add the wine and all the clams and mussels from the bag, and cover. Steam medium-high about 5 minutes.
- Add crab and any extra shrimp, and simmer for about 5 minutes
Using Live Shellfish
- Add the wine and the clams, and cover. Turn the heat up to medium-high and steam until the clams start to open, about 5 minutes.
- Add the mussels, cover and steam until they just start to open, about 2 minutes.
Finish
- Add cioppino sauce, Worcestershire and saffron and bring to a simmer.
- Add remaining seafood and simmer about 5 minutes
- Stir in cioppino sauce, Worcestershire and saffron and bring to a simmer.
- Gently stir in the fish and the rest of the bag o' shellfish, Simmer until just cooked through — about 5 minutes.
Serve
- Place linguini in individual bowls and ladle the cioppino over the pasta. Have tools to crack shells, and lots of napkins! Try to make sure everybody gets a good amount of the crab! Sourdough bread is a great accompaniment. Set out a community bowl for the shells, which will make a great seafood stock.
Recipe Notes
View online at KillerNoms.com/cioppino
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