Sardine Factory Cioppino

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion (5 oz.)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 pound firm-ripe tomatoes, rinsed and chopped, or 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Salt
• 1 pound firm, white-fleshed fish such as halibut
• 1/2 pound (26 to 30 per lb.) shelled, deveined shrimp
• 1/2 pound scallops (1 1/2 in. wide)
• 1 cooked Dungeness crab (2 lb.), cleaned and cracked
• 1 1/2 pounds clams in shells (1 to 1 1/2 in. wide), suitable for steaming
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 loaf (1 lb.) crusty bread
• Lemon wedges

Preparation

1. 1. Pour olive oil into a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat; when hot, add onion and garlic and stir often until onion is limp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes (with their juice if canned), tomato paste, basil, and pepper; bring mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
2. 2. Meanwhile, rinse and drain fish, shrimp, scallops, and crab; cut fish into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Scrub clams. Gently stir fish, shrimp, scallops, and clams into tomato broth; cover and simmer just until fish, shrimp, and scallops are opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test) and clams have popped open, 7 to 9 minutes. Discard any clams that don't open. Add crab and press gently to immerse in broth; cover and cook just until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. 3. Ladle cioppino into wide bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with bread and lemon wedges.