Bren's Cioppino

An elegant fish stew from San Francisco. Serve with another San Francisco favorite--sour-dough rolls.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1  cup  minced onion
• 1  cup  diced green pepper
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh garlic
• 1 (14 ounce) can plum tomatoes (drained, juice reserved and tomatoes coarsely chopped)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2  cups dry white wine
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped parsley, divided (preferably flat-leaf)
• 1  teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon basil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  lbs  firm-fleshed white  fish (halibut, swordfish or cod)
• 1 1⁄2 dozen hard-shelled clams
• 1 1⁄2 dozen  small mussels
• 1  lb medium shrimp (shelled and deveined)

Directions

1. In Dutch oven or heavy casserole, heat oil over high heat. Saute onions, green pepper and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and reserved liquid, the tomato sauce, wine, 1/4 cup parsley, salt (if using), pepper, basil, oregano and bay leaf.
2. Bring to boiling; reduce heat, cover partially; simmer 30 minutes.
3. While sauce simmers, cut fish in 2-inch pieces. Using a stiff brush, thoroughly scrub the clams and mussels (cut off their "beards") under cold water to remove any residue of mud and sand. Shell and devein shrimp.
4. Add white fish to Dutch oven; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add clams and mussels; simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Add shrimp; simmer, covered, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Shrimp should be pink; clams and mussels fully opened (discard any unopened ones). Remove bay leaf. Ladle into soup bowls; sprinkle individual servings with remaining parsley. Serve with sour-dough rolls, sourdough bread or crusty French or Italian bread.