Amy's Cioppino

Serves 8-10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour, 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
Soup Base
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onions, chopped fine
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery heart with leaves, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart fish or chicken broth
2 14.5 oz cans muir glen fire roasted diced tomatoes including juice
1 1/2 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Seafood
1 pounds white firm-fleshed fish (seabass, halibut, snapper, cod), cubed
15-20 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
15-20 scallops
(**Use your imagination and personal preferences as to which seafoods to
add)

Steamed Clams
15-20 manila clams, well scrubbed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
zest of one lemon
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon of butter

Garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup of gourmet croutons
garlic flavored olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the aroma becomes apparent. Be careful not to brown or burn the garlic. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the broth, tomatoes and bay leaves. Cover the pot and simmer slowly for about 45 minutes, adding more broth if necessary to maintain a fair amount of broth. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the fish and cook for about 8-10 minutes until fish flakes. Add the shrimp and cooked for another 2 minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

During the final 15 or 20 minutes of cooking, heat remaining oil in a large skillet. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the aroma becomes apparent. Be careful not to brown
or burn the garlic. Add clams, lemon zest, parsley, and wine. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until clams open.

To serve ladle the stew in a large soup bowl and garnish with basil, croutons, and a drizzle of olive oil. Accompany with a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Frascati or Pinot Grigio.