Cioppino

You can adjust the seafood content to suit your taste

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1  white onion
• 2  large shallots, finely chopped
• 3  bell peppers, finely chopped (green, yellow, red)
• 8  cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1  bunch  finely chopped fresh fennel, white portion only
• 1 (28 ounce) can  italian whole peeled plum tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1  bottle red wine (merlot)
• 2  lemons, juice of
• 4  cups  clam juice or 4  cups  fish stock
• 1  cup water
• 1  bunch  chopped Italian parsley
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2  teaspoons dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 24  mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 24  small  hard-shell clams (cherrystone, manila)
• 1  crab, cooked separated and cracked
• 1  lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1  lb bay scallop
• 2  lbs  firm  white fish fillets, cut into pieces (halibut or cod)
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, shallots and bell peppers.
3. Cook while stirring until vegetables begin to soften.
4. Add fennel and garlic and cook another 3 minutes while stirring.
5. Add tomatoes,including juice, and break them up with a spoon.
6. Add tomato paste and stir thoroughly until blended.
7. Add wine, clam juice, water, lemon juice, parsley, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, thyme and oregano.
8. Simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes.
9. Add mussels, clams cover and cook for 5 minutes.
10. Add remaining seafood, cover and cook another 5 minutes or until most clams and mussels open.
11. Discard any that do not open.
12. Remove from heat, cover for 5 more minutes more.
13. Adjust seasoning.