Filipino Cioppino (Seafood Coconut Milk Stew)

Tender chunks of fish and fresh seafood simmer in a creamy coconut broth.  This Asian version of Cioppino is inspired by a historic San Francisco restaurant with Filipino roots.

Inspired by a Historic San Francisco restaurant

This Asian version of Cioppino is inspired by the famed 7 Mile House in South San Francisco.

It's been a tradition now to serve this "Filipino Cioppino", a seafood stew simmered in coconut broth.

Located in a historic 100+ year old building, the owner, Vanessa, wanted to share her culture and food with the Bay Area, when Filipino restaurants were nearly nonexistent.

In addition to Filipino dishes featured on the regular menu, every October the restaurant celebrates Filipino Heritage Month.

A Unique Recipe

One recipe that returns each year to 7 Mile House is the Filipino Cioppino made by a local schoolteacher.  It is so popular that the recipe is featured every year.

While I was not able to obtain the recipe, this is my closest, easiest approximation of it.

Having dined out as much as I do, it was one of the most unique menu items I have seen in a long while.  Recreated here, so you can enjoy all year round.

Ingredients

This is fairly straightforward.  You have four main ingredient groups:

1. Seafood - The freshest possible, if you're willing to fork over cash for local, sustainable seafood.  A mix of shell on fish (mussels, clams, and even crab), your choice of white fish, and scallops/shrimp are ideal.
2. Mirepoix -A combination of finely diced celery, onion, and carrot add a natural sweetness to the coconut milk without adding sugar.  This may seem like an odd addition to Asian cuisine, but Filipino food has heavy Spanish and thus European influences where a mirepoix is standard fare.
3. Aromatics - Ginger, garlic, green onion, and chile such as jalapeno or thai bird chile give this stew some kung fu kick!
4. Liquid - Coconut milk, white wine, and fish sauce really form the heart of this stew and bring it all home.

How to Make Filipino Cioppino

Step 1: Chop vegetables

Not the most exciting step, but you will need to dice the carrot, celery, and onion into a small dice, or brunoise they might say.

Step 2: Mince aromatics

Mince the ginger and garlic.  Slice the green onion into thin slices.

Step 4: Simmer coconut broth

Add all the above ingredients along with a coconut milk, white wine, fish sauce, and jalapeno, and bring to a simmer in a large pot.

If you don't like spice, omit the jalapeno.

Simmer for about 15 minutes until the celery and carrot are soft.

Step 3: Clean seafood

While the coconut is simmering, you can prep the seafood.

• Fish should be skinned, deboned, and cut into 2" chunks.
• Shrimp should be peeled and deveined. Scallops should have the sinewy adductor mussel torn off.
• Mussels should be scrubbed and debearded.
• Clams should be soaked in a little salt water to remove any sandy grit.
• Squid should be cut into 2" chunks.

Step 4: Cook seafood

This is where it can get tricky.

It would be nice to dump all the seafood in the pot, but unfortunately, they don't cook at the same time.

You may end up with rubbery shrimp and fish chunks that have degraded to mere flakes.

1. Cook the chunks of white fish first, then fish them out.
2. Cook your scallops and shrimp, then fish them out.
3. Cook your clams and mussels in the pot, stirring gently until they open.
4. Spoon the cooked seafood into bowls.  Ladle over the hot coconut broth and serve.

Step 5: Serve hot

Serve with brown jasmine rice and green vegetables such as Easy Baby Bok Choy Stir-Fry with a Secret Touch or Make Ahead Chilled Chinese Broccoli.

This also pairs exceedingly well with a white wine.

Wine Pairing

My wine choice with this rich coconut seafood stew is a French Vouvray, made from Chenin Blanc grapes.

Vouvray seems made to pair with coconut milk with its floral, honeysuckle, pear and apple notes.

Though Vouvray comes in sweet version too, the sparkling version just lifts that creamy coconut off the palate so well.  Definitely one of my favorite food pairing combinations ever.

Expert Tips

1. If you prefer to make your life easier and just use a bag of frozen mixed seafood, please do.  Then you will feel no guilt for dumping it all in the pot at once and simmering until the seafood is hot.
2. If you plan to simmer for longer than 15 minutes, in case you forget about it, cover the pot with a lid so all the liquid doesn't evaporate away.
3. Omit the jalapeno or other chili if you don't like spice.  Add more fresh chile if you prefer more spice.
4. Serve with still or sparkling Vouvray (aka French chenin blanc).

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Recipe

Do you love a good seafood stews?  Spread the ♥, and please share!