Seafood Cioppino

Fish Stock

1 pound fish bones or carcass

3 celery stalks rough cut

1 carrot cut into chunks

1 yellow onion, chunked

1 fennel bulb, small, chopped

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs thyme, fresh

1 cup wine, dry, white

6 cups clam juice (bottled is fine)

6 C water

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Saute the vegetables until soft around 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to a simmer and let simmer for one hour.

3. Strain and set aside to cool.

Cioppino Base

1/4 C olive oil

1 small onion, yellow, chopped

1 small fennel bulb, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

10 cloves garlic, minced

4 sprigs parsley, Italian, flat-leaf

4 sprigs oregano

1 t peppercorns, whole, black

1 pinch, red pepper, dried, flakes

2 bay leaves

1/2 bottle wine, dry, white

2 28 ounce cans whole San Marzano tomatoes (crushed by hand or mashed with a potato masher)

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat and add the onion, fennel, and celery. Stir and saute until vegetables start to soften around 3 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs, and spices to the pot and cook for one minute more.

2. Add the white wine to the pot, stirring well, and bring to another boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Add the tomatoes to the pot and mix well.

3. Add the fish stock to the pot, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Strain when done into a large pot big enough to assemble your cioppino.

Seafood Cioppino

1 dozen mussels, black, debearded and scrubbed

1 dozen clams, little-neck, cleaned and scrubbed

1 pound shrimp, (21-25), peeled, deveined

1 1/2 pounds halibut, fileted, skinned

12 sea scallops

Cioppino base

Italian parsley (optional garnish)

Grilled lemon halves (optional garnish)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

3/4 cup of white wine

basil and Italian parley for a generous garnish

1. In a large pot or really large pan, heat the olive on medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté slowly being sure not to burn.

2. Add the crushed red pepper and sauté for one minute.

3. Add the clams.

4. Add the wine and allow to reduce until there is just a little bit left.

5. Add the mussels.

6. Ladle in some of your Cioppino base.

7. Add the fish to the pan. Cover and cook for a minute or two.

8. Add the scallops and shrimp. Cover. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

9. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh Italian parsley and basil.

10. Serve in large shallow bowls with toasted sourdough bread.