Cioppino (Recipe)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped sweet green pepper

3 14 1/2-ounce cans Italian style plum tomatoes

2 cups dry red wine

1/4 cups snipped fresh basil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

1 pound fresh or frozen halibut or scrod, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

12 ounces fresh or frozen shrimp in shells

12 ounces fresh or frozen scallops

24 clams in shell

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup finely snipped parsley

Steps

1. Pour the oil into a large kettle.  Add the onion and sweet green pepper.  Cook and stir over low heat until the vegetables are tender.

2. Carefully add the undrained tomatoes, red wine, basil, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, thaw the halibut or scrod, shrimp and scallops, if frozen.

4. Shell the shrimp, leaving the tails on.  Clean the clams.

5. Uncover the sauce and return to a boil.  Stir in the clams.  Boil, covered, about 5 minutes or until the clams open.  Remove all of the clams from the sauce and set them aside.

6. Stir the  halibut or scrod, shrimp, scallops and pepper into the sauce.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more.  Discard the bay leaf.

7. To serve, place the cooked clams (still in their shells) in shallow bowls.  Ladle the stew mixture on top and garnish with parsley.

Tips:

To clean clams: Use a stiff brush to scrub the clams under cold running water.  In an 8-quart Dutch oven, combine 4 quarts cold water and 1/3 cup salt.  Add the clams and soak for 15 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  Discard the water.  Repeat twice.

The red wine will change the color of the seafood.  For a lighter wine flavor, use 1 cup wine and 1 cup broth instead of the 2 cups wine.  Or, eliminate all of the wine and substitute broth for the entire amount.