Cioppino

By Taraespo

Ingredients

• such as:
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 lg fennel bulb, sliced thin
• 1 onion, chpd
• 3 lg shallots, chpd
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 lg garlic cloves, finely chpd
• 1/2 - 1 T red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/4 c. tomato paste
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 c dry white wine
• 5 c fish stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 lbs seafood
• mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, firm white fish such as halibut

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in large dutch oven and sauté fennel, onion, shallots and salt, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and add tomatoes with juices, wine, fish stock and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add the clams and mussels, cover until they begin to open, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and fish and simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through and the clams are completely open, stirring gently about 5 minutes longer. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open. Season with more salt and red pepper flakes to taste.

Serve with angel hair pasta and fresh bread.