I, too, have a jar of the TJ Cioppino sauce in my cupboard - and have some
even more basic questions about using it. Do I put the seaford in it raw
and just simmer it cooked? For how long do I simmer? If i use frozen raw
seafood (like shrimp) - should I defrost it first? I need really step by
step directions. Thanks.
Teri

On 2005-03-24, Teri > wrote:
> I, too, have a jar of the TJ Cioppino sauce in my cupboard - and have some
> even more basic questions about using it. Do I put the seaford in it raw
> and just simmer it cooked? For how long do I simmer? If i use frozen raw
> seafood (like shrimp) - should I defrost it first? I need really step by
> step directions. Thanks.

Since I used to do this all the time, I'll jump in. Frozen first.
With TJ's complete frozen meal the fish and sauce are in seperate
packs and frozen solid. You bring the sauce to a full boil and
then toss in all the frozen seafood at once. Bring back to a low
boil and stirring about once a min, cook for between 7-8 mins,
depending how fast your stove gets the now chilled sauce back up to
temp. This will get the shrimp, fish, and scallops cooked without
overcooking the mussels, which tend to go from not-cooked-enough to
overcooked/tough very quickly. If you include mussels, they are the
key, the ones to watch. With no mussels, and using unfrozen, I'd say
go by the shrimp, 5-6 mins max. Make sure fish is cut in pieces no bigger
than the shrimp. Top with a good parmesan or pecarino and enjoy.

nb

Teri wrote:
> I, too, have a jar of the TJ Cioppino sauce in my cupboard - and have
> some even more basic questions about using it. Do I put the seaford
> in it raw and just simmer it cooked? For how long do I simmer? If i
> use frozen raw seafood (like shrimp) - should I defrost it first? I
> need really step by step directions. Thanks.
> Teri

It's hard to be specific without knowing what you plan to put in it,
but yes, the basic idea is to cook the seafood by simmering it in the
broth. You want it all cooked, but none of it overcooked, so you start
with the item that will take the longest to cook and finish with the
item that takes the least time to cook. Bear in mind that each time
you put something new in the liquid will be cooled. Obviously, if the
item is frozen it will take longer to cook but it probably doesn't
matter whether you do that, or thaw it separately. The exception would
be thick chunks of fish. Those you would want to thaw slowly
beforehand, else the outside would get overcooked before the frozen
center was thawed. If you have the time to plan it all ahead, my
preference would be to thaw everything slowly and then cook it, as I
think you might have better control over consistency that way.

Some care will be rewarded but it's not something to stress over. It's
still a seafood stew, not a plate of Dover sole that has to be cooked
and plated within seconds of perfection. If it's good, people will
have seconds and the second helping will be more cooked than the first,
won't it? No big deal.

We don't eat grated cheese with it, but if you like it, why not? -aem