Cioppino Fish Stew

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf bay leaf 
• 1  bell pepper bell pepper green cored seeded chopped (, & )
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black
• 28 oz canned tomatoes diced canned
• 1  carrot carrot roughly chopped ()
• 1 stalk celery stalk celery roughly chopped ()
• 2 cup bottled clam juice 
• 18  clams clams 
• 3 cup cooking wine dry white
• 1  fennel bulb fennel bulb cored trimmed peeled thinly sliced (, , , and )
• 0.5 pound fish fillet white firm
• 2 tablespoon basil leaves fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves fresh minced
• 4 teaspoon garlic minced
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2  leeks leeks dried white green washed chopped roughly chopped ( and pale parts, , , & roughly )
• 0.5 cup olive oil 
• 2 teaspoon oregano leaves fresh minced
• 0.3 cup parsley chopped
• 8 ounce calamri rings 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper flakes red
• 0.5 pound salmon 
• 8 ounce scallops 
• 8 ounce shrimp 
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• pot
• immersion blender
• cheesecloth

Directions

1. in a heavy bottomed soup pot set over medium heat, warm cup olive oil.
2. Add the garlic and leeks and saute until softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Add thyme oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and fennel. Continue cooking another 4 minutes.
4. Add the green pepper, celery and carrot, saute about 4 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste, stirring until it begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add 2 cups wine. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium-high. Simmer and reduce, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes with the juice, clam juice, and Worcestershire. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
7. Remove bay leaf. The using an immersion blender roughly puree the soup base. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. You may make the cioppino ahead to this point. Store refrigerated up to 3 days. In a large skillet with a cover set over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 cup white wine.
8. Add the clams, cover and steam. shaking the skillet occasionally, until most of the clams open, about 6 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Move the open clams to a plate and set aside in a warm place. Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth straight into the cioppino base. Bring the base to a simmer. add the fish and shrimp to the pot, stirring to combine. Once the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4 minutes.
9. Add the scallops, calamari, cooked clams (with or without the shells as you see fit) and chopped parsley. Simmer about 1 more minute. Ladle the cioppino into warm shallow bowls,
10. Garnish with basil.
11. Serve warm.