Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 small fennel bulb sliced (about 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ (14.5 ounce can organic diced tomatoes + juice
1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice
2 tbs. tomato paste
18 little neck clams
18 mussels
12 ounces wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. wild caught cod cut into 8 pieces
Handful fresh basil leaves
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, fennel, bell pepper and cook to soften (stirring occasionally) 3-5 minutes. Crush the saffron strips and add them with the hot red pepper flakes to the veggies. Cook for 2 more minutes and then add the tomatoes, clam broth and tomato paste. Bring to a boil then immediately turn down heat to medium-low simmer for 20 minutes.
Add clams and mussels and increase heat to medium. Cover and cook until the clams and mussels open. Transfer clams to four bowls with a slotted spoon.
Add shrimp and cod and cook until shrimp are opaque and cod flakes easily (just 3-4 minutes). Remove pot from heat and stir in basil leaves to wilt. Ladle the mixture over the clams and mussels and serve.
