"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> Supper tonight was the cioppino, base from a 16 oz jar of Trader Joe's
> stuff.

We had the same thing, Barb. Ran out today to get the sauce and some frozen
seafood based on all the chat about the sauce the last few days.

>
> I added about 1/3 cup of Charles Shaw Cabernet (2002) and 3 frozen ice
> cubes made of turkey broth.

I used some thawed cod, some thawed shrimp, and some thawed mixed seafood
(shrimp, scallops, and squid rings). And Shaw Merlot instead of Cabernet.
Didn't think to add any broth, but tasted the sauce and added some extra red
pepper flakes. I think it could use more garlic, too.
>
> Ladled into flat soup plates and accompanied with Brianno's Italian
> bread and mongo mixed greens salad.

Same here (not Brianno's; it was one of the "artisan" breads from
TJs...forget what they called it). I also made some green beans (mostly for
the kids, since I knew they wouldn't eat the spicy sauce...I cooked their
cod w/ lemon & butter, and they did just fine w/ it) and an ear of corn for
my toddler.
>
> Good meal. I made Rob save the 3/4 cup of sauce remaining on his plate
> so he can have it again tomorrow for lunch (I'll get that freakin'
> couscous thing done for supper, looks like) with the same seafoods
> except the tilapia. He was all over it.

Oops, I guess we're little piggies over here...Bob and I ate the whole
batch, and swiped up all our extra sauce w/ bread. That was a *huge* loaf
of bread. Or should I say, it *was* a huge loaf.
>
> I thought it was pretty spicy. I would not wanted to have it any
> spicier. I think I could taste the tannin in the wine.

I didn't like the celery so much; would have liked some fennel flavor,
though.
>
> Big Question: The base sauce tasted to me like a spicy marinara-type
> pasta sauce. What would be so wrong with starting with some bottled
> marinara and thinning it with broth and red wine?

Nothing! I asked myself the same question. I would choose a chunky
marinara, or else I'd add some canned tomatoes.

> Would I be drummed from the corps?

Anybody else might be, but not you, Barb. :-)

>I'm not sure I want to make the marinara sauce from
> scratch (I know, it's not a big deal, but I don't feel like it next
> time, OK?).
>
Yeah, the great thing about this meal was how quick and easy it was, besides
being tasty. I used to make something like this from scratch (yeah, that
was 3 kids ago!),...sauteed onions and peppers and boatloads of garlic,
added tomatoes in juice, seasoned w/ herbs and red pepper flakes and
simmered until a bit thick...then added shrimp and chopped zucchini and
simmered for a few minutes. (Now I would add some fennel and replace the
zuke w/ cod or some other chunky white fish...and I'd add some wine). Still
easy to do, but a little more labor intensive.

I think the marinara would be fine. Is it Barilla that makes a marinara
with burgundy? Whoever makes that -- it's pretty good as a base for stuff
like this.

Chris