Cioppino

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