Cioppino in San Francisco at Little Joe's on Broadway

Reviewing some recipes I recalled eating in North Beach at Little Joe's (on Broadway). I'll never forget the walk down Columbus and onto Broadway. I had seen the restaurant and it's dishes on a tv cooking show¹ and when I got a chance to visit SanFran, it is one of the places high up on the list of culinary adventures. Sadly, the owner has retired more than a decade now as I now write about this. The name and/or website has been purchased by an inferior place. There is no Little Joe's extant, but there are many restaurants styled: " ---Joe's ---" in San Francisco. Caveat Emptor.

My dinner there was just as spectacular as it had been when I saw it on tv. I sat at the counter and could watch the chef prep, cook and serve my cioppino. I'm not going to extol the virtues of it's wonderful flavor at length here. Plenty of other's have been more eloquent than I can be on that head.

I like authentic food and write about my philosophy of what makes food authentic at this post. As another foodie writes about seafood soups at Cioppino vs Cacciucco = Cioppucco - a Tuscan Foodie recipe, I won't go much further on that head. He's Italian and can write from a place I cannot begin to go. But, dear reader, bear with me, the last-little-bit-is-at-hand.

Saddened by the passing of this fabulous restaurant, and desirous of having some cioppino, I took to the 'net to locate Little Joe's cioppino recipe. Voila! It's not on the 'net. I got confused and quickly recovered when I located the cookbook Little Joe's Italian Cookbook by Franco Montarello. My local library has a copy and I eagerly opened the book to the section on SEAFOOD, only to find that there was no cioppino recipe. There is a caciucco (fish stew) recipe. As it is most reminiscent of what I ate, I reproduce it here, adding from memory of over 20 years ago of what I saw prepared for me.

The recipe says that the secret to this dish is to not let any one fish flavor overpower the others. Oh! and lastly, by way of preface, caciucco is to Italy as bouillabaisse is to France.

The thing about this dish is that it is best made in a restaurant. I'll explain in a moment. At Little Joe's, it was made individually for each customer. So to speak, one-at-a-time, or each dish was made in it's own sauté pan. I say it's a restaurant specialty as you need a stock for it. Restaurants don't throw food away, scraps are thrown into the simmering stock pot. As time goes by the stocks get richer and richer and you cannot do that in your home. Most of us can't. Most of us won't. However, as I much miss eating this dish, I'm making a necessary sacrifice to obtain it. I have a fish market near me and I'm thinking maybe they would set aside some fish bones and heads and scraps. I would make a court bouillion with those bits. That will suffice for a quality stock.

Caciucco (Fish Stew)

1 preboiled, cracked Dungeness crab

3 clams

4 mussels

7 medium size shrimp

2-3 ozs. Rock Cod (any rockfish will do)

3 tbs olive oil

1 tbs minced garlic

1/3 c. white wine

1 cup fish stock

1 c. marinara sauce

Heat a 10" sauté pan and add the olive oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the garlic and sauté 30 to 40 seconds. Add the clams and a tablspoon of stock, lower the heat, cover and heat until the clams open and release their juice. That's about 5 minutes. Next add the mussels, cover again for another 5 minutes. Remove any shellfish whose shells have remained closed. Add the rockfish. Raise the heat and sauté three to four minutes until the rockfish is partially cooked. Add the wine and stock and then the crab and shrimp. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, covered. The remainder of the cooking is without the lid. Add the marinara sauce. Bring to a simmer on high heat, reducing to about 1 cup of liquid remaining. (you can ballpark this reduction). Once the mussels and clams have opened, pour over linguine or angel-hair pasta or rice. (gee should I have said risotto?)

At Little Joe's, I saw them add the wine, tip the pan to catch the wine on fire and then add the remaining liquids. This necessitates have the sauté pan over a high flame.

Serve in a soup bowl. 

Above is for one serving.

Below is the recipe given for Little Joe's tomato sauce. 

2 qts. crushed tomato in heavy puree (this is something only a restaurant can buy) See why here, at the bottom of the page.

2 qts. chicken broth (again, think of all the chicken scraps tossed into a stock pot, refilled with water and more chix, every day)

4 stalks celery

3 onions, minced

1 tsp. rosemary, dried

1 tbs. oregano, dried (preferably not Mexican oregano)

4 bay leaves

2 tbs. chopped, fresh basil

1/4 c. garlic, minced

2 tbs. black pepper, ground

1/3 c. salt

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/2 c. water for cornstarch, above

grated parmesan cheese

Combine the crushed tomato, chicken broth, celery and onion, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, basil, garlic, black pepper, salt and olive oil in a stock pot. Simmer 2 to 4 hours, slightly covered [slightly covered addition by yours truly Secret_Ingredient]. At the end of the simmering, mix the water and cornstarch and add to the pot, stirring to mix well. Use with pasta of choice and top with grated parmesan cheese. 

8 to 10 portions.

I wrote about the Tuscan guy, above. He sagely points out that this type of fish dish is made with the stuff the fisherman cannot sell. The off-fall. He goes on to point out that the next time you pay $30 or 25€ for the dish to remember that it's supposed to be peasant food, not some hoity-toity dish of danties for the uninformed. (I'll close with: 

As it's unfortunately July 2016 and the [confound them] Presidential election season is upon us, here in the U.S.A.) 

Don't be a low information foodie.
=========

¹ 

The TV show title, I have since remembered is The Frugal Gourmet and putting aside the sad past of that fellow, I find in his cookbook titled: The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian, the recipe that inspired this post on page 431.

Stating that cioppino  is "particularly popular in the Southern regions" his recipe is thus:

Serves 4-6

16 ozs. clams (The true Italian bay sized vongole are unavailable in the U.S. and the author called for Manilla Clams as a substitute.) 

24 ozs. mussels

24 ozs. fresh cod fillets, cut in 1" cubes

16 ozs. medium shrimp (41-50 size)

2 tbs olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup dry vermouth

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup bottled clam juice

4 tbs. butter

1/4 cup parsley chopped

12 ozs. Sicilian Tomato sauce (recipe follows)

salt

pepper

Rinse the clams in a colander. Put in a bowl and cover by 2" with water. Reserve 60 minutes. Drain and using a pliers or kitchen forceps, remove the beards.

Heat a 6 to 8 quart stock pot into which put 1 tbs. of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic. Saute for 10 seconds and add the bearded, drained clams. Next add 2 fl. ozs. of the vermouth and cover to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the clams open. Strain out the clams, reserving the liquid. Reserve the clams, loosely covered, to cool, but not dry out.
Cook the mussels in the same pot, using the remaining oil, garlic and vermouth. The mussels will take a little less time to cook. Strain out the mussels in the same container the clams are in.
Return the pot to the burner along with both reserved liquids, and add the chicken stock, bottled clam juice, butter, parsley and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and simmer 3 minutes, uncovered to reduce a bit. Add the shrimp, simmer 2 minutes longer. Add the reserved clames and mussels in their shells and heat through. Add salt and pepper and serve in soup bowls.

I won't repeat the Fresh Tomato Sauce Sicilian from the cookbook as I don't see it's benefit. As the risk of bragging, my marinara sauce uses some lemon juice and zest and I think it's a more authentic flavor with the seafood and fishes, above.

Perfecting Macaroni and Cheese - A Work in Progress Recipe

So if you read my words here you may have come to the conclusion that I'm a practiced cook. That I'll gladly espouse. Yet, when it comes to Macaroni and Cheese, I still open a box of Kraft.

While shopping for pasta 2 weeks ago, I came across very small macaroni. Total length, if you stretched it straight would be slightly less than 1/2 an inch. And curved it's about 3/8 of an inch and not more than 1/8 inch wide, with the hole in the center. Zara brand. I have Zara's shape #71. That's important as it's size is quite small and the cooking time on the package is 2 to 3 minutes, of which, more later.

I next read up on the 'net about Mac and Cheese and came away from that in a quandary. At least six cheeses were mentioned and some even used Velveeta. That's not cheese, it's processed food spread or some such designation, but, at most, it's not cheese. It's only benefit is quickness of melting. The various cheeses listed as ingredients are: 

Cheddar - Yellow or White
Gruyère
Fontina
(Velveeta)
Gorgonzola
Monterrey Jack
Parmesan
Romano

Next, recipes called for dry mustard, which I'm fine with and always use in Welsh Rabbit. Some called for toasted bread crumbs, some Panko breadcrumbs. While others insisted that Ritz Crackers give a buttery flavor. I can almost feel that in my mouth and will try it next time, with different cheeses than I used this time. One lady even said she liked a little Worcestershire Sauce. I also understand that as I too like a little vinegar to balance the unctuousness of the cheese flavors.

Next I noticed that many recipes called for condensed milk. Upon further examination of this I learned that those styles of recipes are evading making a simple Béchamel Sauce. This is the first sauce I ever learned to make and is the simplest of all sauces. So, in my ever evolving quest for authenticity, I opt for making the cheese sauce for this dish. That is nothing more than the Béchamel Sauce with grated cheese added.

To make this Macaroni and Cheese something special I decided I would use up the last teaspoon of white truffle oil. I also decided on a mix of Cheddar and Gruyère.

Off to the the supermarket I went. But I couldn't find both cheddar and Gruyère at the market I was at. On my way home I stopped at a Trader Joe's. I'm not a fan of TJ's but it was the next nearest market. Much to my delight, I found they had, what they called, a Melange of Cheddar and Gruyère. And all the more to my delight was their Italian Truffle Cheese. So, while I usually don't plug a particular place to shop, I'm making an exception in this instance.

A Word About Timing

Every process in making this recipe must be ready either before you make the sauce, or just after.

As the pasta cooks for a very short time and as the cheese sauce takes a few minutes longer; I recommend having the pot for the pasta boiling before you start the sauce. The cheese must be grated near the time of adding or it will get too soft and be harder to incorporate in the Béchamel. 

Equipment

Box grater
9 x 13 casserole (mine is glass) I want a copper one.

Ingredients

16 ozs. elbow macaroni
12 ozs. Cheddar and Gruyère
6 ozs. Truffle cheese
6 tbs. butter, at room temperature
3 slices of sourdough bread - any bread will work - au gratin
3 3/4 cups of milk, heated in the microwave
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 scant teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp. Truffle oil
Parmesan as garnish
2 tsp. parsley, chopped

Prep Work - This must be done before the actual cooking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes.
Bring the water for the pasta to a boil.
Remove the crust from the bread. Cut the bread into 3/8" cubes. Reserve.
Grate the cheeses. Reserve.
Have the milk measured and ready to microwave. I put mine in a Pyrex measuring cup and that worked perfectly.
If you are grating the nutmeg, have it ready. I mixed mine into the salt and pepper.
Butter the casserole with up to 1 tablespoon of butter.

Down to the Cooking

Heat the milk in the microwave for 3:30 (three and one-half) minutes. It should be quite warm, between 140 and 160 degrees F. Or 120 degrees F. at a minimum.
In a minimum of a 2 quart sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter until it is all melted. Add half a teaspoon of Truffle oil. You don't have to wait for the water to burn off (the sizzling sound). Add in the bread cubes and toss to evenly absorb the butter and oil. When the pan's bottom appears dry, remove the cubes and reserve, uncovered. They will be crisped while in the oven.

Heat the milk another 30 seconds to keep it warm, after making the flavored bread cubes.

Is the water for the pasta boiling? If yes, cook the pasta for 2 1/2 minutes to 3 minutes. When it is al dente drain in a colander under cold running water. Put the drained macaroni in the buttered casserole. Set aside.

In the saucepan that was used for the bread cubes, heat 4 tablespoons of butter until melted. Whence add 4 tablespoons of flour and over low heat, whisk continuously until the mixture colors to a tan or light brown. Put your finger in the milk. If it's cooled off too much, re-heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. If you have to heat the milk more, lower the heat on the roux. Continue to whisk the roux and slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of heated milk. When as you add the milk, the flour-butter mixture will seize. You will have something in the pot that resemble wet clay or mud in viscosity or texture. NOTHING is wrong. Continue whisking and add another 2, 3, or 4 tablespoons of milk at a time, constantly whisking to get the right absorption of the roux and milk. Your eyes will guide you about the amount to add. Go slowly. When about half the milk is added and you can see your sauce is developing, raise the heat slightly, and add the remaining milk. Do not stop whisking. Do not leave the stove to attend to another chore or project. When the sauce comes to a boil along the edges of the pan, remove from the heat and add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp. of Truffle oil. Next, add 1/2 of the grated cheeses, a little at a time. Whisk constantly during all the ingredient additions. The heat of the sauce will allow all the cheeses to melt, but keep whisking. When the cheese is melted, pour it over the pasta. I suggest holding the pan's handle upright or vertically. Pour it gently and use a spatula to get that which will not pour out.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the pasta and sauce. Next add the flavored bread cubes made earlier. If you like you can now add a bit more Truffle oil on top of the casserole.

Put the dish in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with Parmesan Cheese and chopped parsley.

Cook's History Note:

Louis P. De Gouy writing in his The Gold Cook Book has at recipe #1549 the following:

   According to the legend Gio Cico was chef in an Italian prince's palace and was always in search for novelities for the prince's table.   One day he presented a dish made from a paste brought by Marco Polo from far way China. His Majesty enjoyed it so much that he even exlaimed "Cari!" (meaning "dear"). He took a second helping, then enthusiastically he exclaimed "ma Caroni." ("O but how very dear.")

And so what made the prince exclaim "ma Caroni" became macaroni for all the world.

Italian Sourdough Breads And Their Microorganisms

I am fascinated by the microbes that not only make food taste good, but also, in the case of lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, help preserve the shelf life of bread. 

Marinara Sauce and Meatballs

This is my favorite recipe for Meatball Sandwiches, the recipe for which, follows.


Preparation time is about 10 to 15 minutes and cooking time is exactly 30 minutes.


Ingredients


* 1 Tbs. olive oil, extra virgin
* 8 ozs. onions, chopped
* 2 whole garlic cloves, minced
* 8 oz. tomato sauce, canned
* 6 ozs. tomato paste, canned
* 14 1/2 ozs. chicken stock, canned
* 1/2 tsp. sugar
* 1 whole bay leaf
* 1 tsp. basil leaf, dried, hand crushed
* 2 tbs. parsley, chopped
* 1/2 c. bell pepper, red, roasted, diced (optional)
* 4 ozs. mushrooms, button, wiped clean (optional)
* 1 tbs. chicken boullion powder (optional)
* 16 fl. ozs. water (optional)
* 1 tbs. onion powder (optional)
* 1 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
* 1 tbs. italian seasoning (optional)
* 1/2 tsp. chile flakes (optional)
* 1 whole lemon, juiced (optional but highly recommended)


Instructions


Chop the onions and mince the garlic and parsley, keep each in it's own bowl.


Heat the oil in a sauce pan, lightly caramelize the onions and garlic. Add the chicken stock or 16 ozs. of water and a heaping tablespoon of chicken boullion powder. Bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer. Add the remaining ingredients and return to a simmer. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add the optional ingredients if using them. Remove lid, reduce for another 15 to 20 minutes to thicken.


The above can be easily doubled




Meatballs for the above


Ingredients


* 6 lbs. beef, ground
* 2 c. breadcrumbs
* 1 c. romano cheese -- grated
* 1/2 c. parsley -- chopped
* 5 cloves garlic -- minced
* 5 whole eggs
* 1/2 c. chicken stock
* 2 tsp. black pepper
* 2 tsp. salt
* 3/4 c. onions -- finely chopped (optional)


Instructions


Remove meat 20 minutes before working it into meatballs.
In a mixing bowl mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, parsley, black pepper and salt. Next, add the eggs and stock. Mix thoroughly. Into another larger bowl, break the meat up into bits. With wet hands, mix the flavoring mixture into the meat, keeping the hands wet to prevent the meat from smearing the fat.


Grease a casserole (better still: a hotel pan) and put the meatballs on it as the 50 to 60 are made. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the pan in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until the bottoms of the meatballs brown. Turn them over, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 25 to 35 minutes until they are fully browned. Remove from the oven, drain all the fat, add a tablespoon of the sauce over each meatball and cover with aluminum foil, and return to the oven for 30 minutes.


I always end up having to run more than one batch through the oven and the work always takes 4 to 5 hours. I promise you, if you love meatballs & spaghetti, this is worth the effort.


Optional: minced onions
Optional in sauce for sandwiches: sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper strips, Italian sausage bites.




From:
Daily News (a newspaper)
Food Section
4/15/98