Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco teems with tourists for good reason. For renowned chef Bobby Flay, it is here he savors his beloved cioppino, a hearty seafood stew of Italian-American origin, hailing from the area. He often visits Nick's Lighthouse, a favorite among locals, to indulge in their version of this exquisite dish.

The flavorful cioppino stew has deep roots in the latter part of the 19th century. It is an Italian-American creation, born from the Italian fishermen who worked in the North Beach waters of San Francisco. They incorporated surplus catch from their fishing expeditions into the stew, often comprising a mix of shrimp, crab, clams, and fish.

The seafood is sautéed in olive oil abrim with onions, herbs, garlic - all immersed in a tangy tomato base. A generous slice of crispy sourdough bread, lovingly buttered and toasted, accompanies the stew traditionally; a tip of the hat to another famed San Franciscan dish. However, the versatile cioppino can also be served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes and complemented with various vegetables such as a straightforward salad, roasted asparagus, or oven-baked zucchini.

The rich stew's essence invites flexibility, with the seafood changing with the catch of the day. Bobby Flay's recipe specifically calls for fresh shrimp, littleneck clams, and snapper. Canned tomatoes are typically used in the stew, but seasonal fresh tomatoes are equally worthy additions to the medley.

To prepare Flay's version of Cioppino, you'll need to join together a series of ingredients. Start with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a thinly sliced large shallot, two minced garlic cloves, half a cup of dry white wine, 1.5 cups of chicken stock, 1 cup of bottled clam juice, 1 cup of drained, diced tomatoes from a can, 2 thyme sprigs, a bay leaf, half a teaspoon of hot sauce (you can add more to your liking), kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. The seafood component comprises two dozen littleneck clams, 3/4 pound of skinless snapper fillets cut into pieces, and half a pound of shrimp that has been shelled and deveined. To finish, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and of course, sourdough bread for serving.

Heat your oil in a large pot, add shallots and garlic and cook on high heat until softened. Add wine and reduce it to half. Then add in your stock, clam juice, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Let everything boil then reduce the heat a bit and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Add in the clams and let them cook until they open, then add the snapper and shrimp. Transfer the cooked seafood into separate bowls, then add butter and parsley to the soup pot and cook under moderate heat for about a minute. Lastly, spoon the broth over your seafood and serve the cioppino with sourdough bread on the side. Enjoy one of San Francisco's iconic gastronomic treasures!