Chef Andrew Lubatty’s Avenue Cioppino recipe

We are surrounded by some of Denver’s best (and most loved) restaurants. Some, like Strings and Avenue Grill, have anchored the Uptown dining scene forever. Others like Olivea and Steuben’s are new to the ‘hood. The neighborhood chefs stop in for last minute ingredients or to request a special item from grocery or seafood. So starting right now, we’ll be sharing the love by running recipes from Uptown chefs.  Their motto: keep it simple, make it good! Here is Chef Andrew Lubatty’s Avenue Cioppino recipe. Enjoy!

Cioppino
½ lb mussels
½ lb ahi tuna or any fish you have
½ lb mahi or any fish you have
¾ C white wine*
4-5 cups tomato broth or enough to cover the fish
4 T butter
½ lb fresh crab meat
2 lemons quartered for garnish

Garlic bread
1 baguette
4 T butter
¼ C parmesan cheeses
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp red chili flakes

Herbed Tomato Broth
¼ C EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 T garlic, minced
1 C yellow onions, small dice
¼ C red peppers, small dice
¼ C green peppers, small dice
2 C white wine*
5 C clam juice or fish stock
28 oz can crush tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 T tomato paste
2 T salt
1 tsp black pepper

Make broth: sauté garlic, onions, peppers in olive oil until softened, add wine and reduce by half. Add clam juice or stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt and pepper, simmer until vegetables are tender.
Prep seafood: dice fish in 1/2” pieces, rinse mussels and reserve crab for adding last.
Prepare garlic toast: preheat oven to 450. Slice baguette in 5” sections and split horizontally, butter and sprinkle with parmesan and herbs, place on baking sheet.
Toast garlic bread in 450 ovens for 5 minutes
To make Cioppino: place fish, mussels, white wine and butter in a large saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes. Add tomato broth and simmer 2 minutes more. Add crab last
Divide between 4 bowls and serve with lemons.
Always cook with wine you don’t mind drinkin’! For this, use Clair Moreau Muscadet, $9.99.