IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Ophelia's On The Bay

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This week we went in the kitchen with Kristina Grainger, general manager, and Chef Daniel Olson of Ophelia's on the Bay for seafood stew or also known as Cioppino. 

Grainger's parents opened Ophelia's on the Bay in the lates '80s and has been open for 25 years. Ophelia's features American Continental Cuisine made with fresh and local ingredients. Local diners consistently vote Ophelia's the most romantic restaurant and was recently named one of the top 100 places to dine outdoors by Open Table. 

Grainger has worked in her family business for the last 15 years working her way up the ranks performing different jobs such as serving, bartending, working in the kitchen and managing. She is also currently studying Hospitality Management at the University of South Florida. 

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Scroll down for an instructional video on how to prepare the dish.

Cioppino

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup carrot, small dice
1 cup onion, small dice
1 cup celery, small dice
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
1-1/2 tablespoons dry oregano
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
9 ounces tomato paste
1/2 bottle of red wine
4 cups lobster stock
1-1/2 quarts clam juice
6 cups crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh sweet basil, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation: 
In a large sauce pot, sauté carrots, onions and celery in olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, paprika, crushed red pepper, black pepper, salt and tomato paste. Fry tomato paste with vegetables for two- to three-minutes. Deglaze with red wine and reduce by a quarter. Add lobster stock, clam juice and crushed tomatoes. Bring just to a boil and simmer for one-hour stirring frequently. Finish with fresh basil and parsley. Simmer your favorite seafoods in this rich broth and finish with a pat of butter.