Cioppino, Seafood Stew

What makes this distinctive is the Mediterrianean-style mixture of tomatoes, basil and oregano with plenty of red wine and garlic-a base which makes the finished dish very strong and heady indeed.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  cups onions, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 6  cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1 (35 ounce) can tomatoes with basil
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2  cups red wine
• 1  lemon, thinly sliced
• 1  cup parsley, chopped
• 1  teaspoon basil
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  boned  sea bass or 1 1⁄2 lbs  scrod fish, cut in 2 inch pieces
• 3 (1 1/2lb)  lobsters, cut up
• 1  lb shrimp, shelled and cleaned
• 12  hardshell clams, scrubbed
• 24  mussels, scrubbed
•  garlic bread

Directions

1. Saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil in large pot.
2. Add the tomatos, tomato paste, wine, lemon, one half cup or the parsley and all the seasonings.
3. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes.
4. Add the fish, lobsters and shrimp and simmer, covered 15 minutes.
5. Add clams and mussels and simmer another 10 minutes more or until the clams and mussels open.
6. Sprinkle remaining parsley on top.
7. Serve in soup plates from the pot it was cooked in.
8. A nice touch is a piece of garlic bread in each soup plate as a blotter.
9. Have plenty more bread to pass.