Cioppino

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf 
• 28 ounce canned tomatoes whole drained chopped canned
• 1 pound crab legs cooked
• 2 cups cooking wine dry white
• 1 head fennel bulb sliced
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed toasted
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 
• 5.5 pounds bones and trimmings from fish white
• 3 tablespoons basil leaves fresh chopped
• 10 sprigs parsley fresh
• 0.3 cup parsley leaves fresh chopped
• 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves fresh chopped
• 5 large garlic cloves minced
• 2 pounds halibut fillet cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 5  jalapeños whole
• 2 tablespoons juice of lemon fresh
• 2 pounds littleneck clams 
• 6 ounces mushrooms sliced
• 6 tablespoons olive oil or as needed
• 1 small onion sliced thin
• 2 medium onions chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried
• 2 teaspoons peppercorns 
• 0.5 cup pernod 
• 1 pinch saffron threads 
• 8 servings grey salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 0.8 pound sea scallops 
• 3  shallots thin
• 1 pound shrimp deveined peeled
• 1 sprig thyme leaves 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 stick butter unsalted at room temperature
• 10 cups water cold

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• ladle
• pot
• tongs
• colander

Directions

1. Heat 2 cups fumet, clam juice or water in a small saucepan.
2. Add saffron, simmer about 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
3. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil oil in an 8-quart pot over medium-high heat.
4. Add garlic, allowing it to brown for about 20 seconds, then add onions, fennel, and a pinch of salt. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes.
5. Add fennel seed, bay leaf and oregano. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Add tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until paste darkens a bit, about 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Add chopped tomatoes (squeeze them slightly through your fingers to soften first), white wine, pernod and the saffron flavored fish fumet, clam juice or water.
8. Add remaining fish fumet, clam juice or water, whole jalapenos and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until liquid has reduced by half. Cover pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
9. Skim the fat from the soup, and add parsley, basil and tarragon.
10. Add clams and simmer until clams open, about 3 minutes (discard any unopened clams).
11. Add crab pieces and heat through. With a pair of tongs, remove crab legs to warmed serving bowls.
12. Place a colander with shrimp in it, into the pot without submerging it completely. When shrimp are just cooked and pink and add to serving bowls. Use tongs to fish out the clams, add to serving bowls. Melt the butter in the broth, stirring as it melts.
13. Meanwhile, season halibut and scallops with salt and pepper.
14. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. Cook the haibut and scallops, without stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook another 30 seconds. Fish will be slightly underdone. Cover scallops and sauted fish with ladles of broth, bring to a simmer, then transfer scallops and fish to the serving bowls.
15. Remove bay leaf and the jalapeno peppers from pot. Season broth with salt and pepper.
16. Pour broth over fish in bowls.
17. Mash the softened jalapeno peppers into a paste, and serve as a garnish for guests who like their Cioppino spicy.
18. Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain fumet and allow to cool before storing.