Cioppino with Crab

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled, finely chopped

1 small fennel bulb (white part only, halved, cored, finely chopped)

4 garlic cloves, peeled, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground back pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed, juices reserved

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice

1 cup water

1 1/2 pounds crab claws (cooked)

1 pound mussels

1 pound cod fillet or other firm whitefish, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sourdough bread for serving

Preparation:

In a very large soup pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, fennel and garlic. Saute about 2 minutes. Reduce heat slightly, cover and cook about 12 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and just slightly brown. Add the oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juice, wine, clam juice and water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer and cook about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Separate the crab claws into individual claws. Add the crabs and mussels to the pot. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until the mussels open. Transfer the claws to the platter. Add the cod and shrimp to the pot, pushing them into the broth Return the crab claws to the pot. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until the fish and shrimp are thoroughly cooked. Ladle the cioppino into deep bowls and serve with the crusty bread. Recipe obtained from The Detroit Free Press, Feb. 1, 2013, adapted from www.foodandwine.com.