Fish stew

Last night I wanted fish stew, kids wanted tacos. We had tacos. Today I compromised and made a fish/scallop broth with shrimp shells, clam juice, tomato juice and red wine, strained and added tomatoes, onions green peppers and garlic. I roasted scallops and clams and made Louisiana Killer Shrimp. Then I put some seafood and rice in a bowl and ladled my fish stew broth over it. I left the rest of the fish on a platter for the kids to eat as it with rice or add broth as they chose.

I also made some sourdough french bread

When it comes to things like stew and casseroles, I consider the list of ingredients to be a list of suggestions. I more or less made the sauce and added the cooked shell fish and rice.

Cioppino 

3 lb. seabass, barracuda, hailbut, or a variety of firm fish 

1 large Dungess (hard shell) crab or a cooked lobster 

1 lb (0r more) jumbo shrimp 

1 pint clams, mussels or oysters or all three 

Sauce 

3/4 C. olive oil 

1 1/2 C. chopped onions 

1 C. chopped green pepper 

3 Cloves garlic, thoroughly mashed with 1 tsp. salt 

1-21/2 cans of tomatoes 

The broth of the molluscs 

2 C. red table wine 

2 C. tomato juice 

2 C. fish stock made from the crab shell or lobster body and fish trimmings 

Herb bouquet (bay leaf, parsley, basill) 

1/2 C. minced parsley 

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Cut the fish into good-sized serving pieces. Crack the crab and remove the top shell but keep it for making stock. If you use lobster, cut the tail in pieces and reserve the body to make stock; if you use Eastern lobster, cut the tail and crack the claws. Split the shrimp tails down the back and remove the black vein. Steam the molluscs in a small amount of water just until they open. Remove the top shell and save the broth. 

sauce 

Saute the onion and green pepper in olive oil until just soft, add all the other ingredients except parsley and cook 10 minutes. Remove the herb bouquet and taste for seasoning