Seafood Cioppino

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) (set aside a few fronds for garnish, if desired)
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 c Sauvignon Blanc or another dry white wine
• 3 c bottled clam juice or fish stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 16 small hard-shell clams in their shells, scrubbed
• 16 mussels in their shells, scrubbed and debearded (or more clams)
• 1 lb (21/25 or larger) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 crab leg clusters (such as Dungeness, snow, or king) or 8 to 12 ounces lump crab meat
• 1 ½ pounds firm white skinless fish fillets (such as cod, halibut, haddock), cut into 2-inch pieces
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Crusty sourdough bread, for serving

Warm the oil over medium-high heat in large Dutch oven. Stir in onion, fennel and salt. Cook until tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic, dried herbs and pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.

Add the tomato paste and stir vigorously to coat the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. Add wine and stir to loosen any glaze from bottom of pot. Stir in clam juice and tomatoes. Drop in bay leaf. Bring to a low simmer, partially cover pot, and let cook for 20 minutes. (Recipe can be made to the point up to one day ahead. Cool uncovered, then cover and refrigerate. Return to a simmer before proceeding.)

Stir in clams and mussels. Cover pot and simmer until shells open, about 5 minutes. Discard any clams and mussels that do not open.

Stir in shrimp. Arrange crab clusters on top. (If using crab meat, stir it in.) Sprinkle fish pieces lightly with salt and pepper and arrange them on top of crab clusters. Cover pot and let cook until shrimp and fish are opaque, about 5 minutes.

Remove pot from heat. Discard bay leaf. Taste broth and adjust seasoning, if needed. Sprinkle with parsley, basil and fennel fronds.

Serve immediately with plenty of bread.