Oven-Baked Cioppino

Cioppino is typically one of those dishes that most everyone loves, but perhaps does not prepare except for “special occasions” because it seems to be too big of a production. This recipe from the San Francisco Chronicle featuring an oven-baked version whittles down the task by allowing you to prepare the broth ahead of time and simply add your fresh seafood to a baking pan or casserole dish when you are ready to prepare dinner. Theoretically it will take 45 minutes to prepare the broth once you have prepped your raw ingredients, and another 40 minutes of oven time. The dish is simple enough to rotate into your more regular repertoire of meals, yet it still has that special quality that makes it worthy of serving at a dinner party.

Wine choices for oven-baked cioppino are many. With white wine being among the many ingredients, it is a natural bridge between the food on the plate and the wine. Try a Vermentino from Italy or a wooded Sauvignon Blanc from California. Both share a robust quality that stands up to the mélange of Mediterranean flavors of the dish without getting lost in the soup, literally. If red is your game, either a Sangiovese from California or a Chianti Classico from Italy, also made from Sangiovese, will do the trick. A third choice, especially if you are having company or simply wish to create an occasion, is a rosé Champagne or sparkling wine which will harmonize and refresh.

Check out the Oven-Baked Cioppino at www.sfgate.com .

--Felicia M. Sherbert