Q: I recently tried a recipe for a quick version of cioppino. I doubled the recipe and made a large quantity. Will it keep in the refrigerator? Or could I freeze it?
A: Cioppino (say it chuh-PEE-noh) is an Italian-inspired stew that’s traditional in San Francisco. It’s also really simple and good.
The shortcut version isn’t all that different from the classic version. Either way, recipes usually involve making a base of tomato puree, clam juice and white wine, flavored with sauted onions, garlic and rosemary. After the base is cooked, you stir in firm white fish, shrimp and scallops, cooking them for just a few minutes so they don’t overcook.
A dish with cooked seafood shouldn’t be refrigerated for more than a couple of days. While you could certainly freeze it, it would be hard to reheat without overcooking the seafood.
Instead, you could make the base in advance and freeze it. Then you could add fresh fish and seafood after you reheat it.
