Cioppino, an Italian-American Classic

For the soffritto (flavor base):

• 1 onion chopped, medium
• 1 shallot chopped, large
• 1 fennel bulb trimmed and chopped, medium
• salt
• black pepper
• 2 garlic finely chopped, cloves
• red pepper flakes to taste
• olive oil

For the broth:

• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 1 large can 28 oz., 800g of canned tomatoes, passed through a food mill (or use crushed tomatoes)
• 16 oz. fish stock 2 cups/500 ml, or 2 bottles of clam juice
• 1 cup white wine 250 ml
• thyme fresh, sprig
• bay leaf preferably fresh, a

For the seafood:

• 1 lb. halibut or other firm-fleshed fish, cut into cubes, 500g
• 12 Shrimp as big as you can find, jumbo
• 12 clams
• 12 mussels

Optional additional seafood:

• 12 sea scallops
• 4 crab trimmed and cut up, small