Cioppino

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large fennel bulb
• 6 ounces onion
• 8 ounces celery
• 3 large shallots
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 2 pounds tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups white wine
• 5 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 pounds crabs, cut into pieces
• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 pound scallops

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the fennel, onion, shallots, and salt.
3. Sauté until the onion is translucent.
4. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
5. Sauté for 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the tomato paste.
7. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, water, crabs, celery, and bay leaf.
8. Cover and bring to a simmer.
9. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
10. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
11. Add the mussels to the cooking liquid.
12. Cover and cook until the mussels begin to open.
13. This should take about 5 minutes.
14. Add the scallops and fish.
15. Simmer gently until the fish and scallops are just cooked through and all the mussels are completely open, gently stirring occasionally.
16. This should take about another 10 minutes.
17. Check the soup for closed mussels and throw them out.
18. Remove the bay leaf.
19. Season the soup to taste with more salt and red pepper flakes.