Zuppa di Pesce ~ Italy

[Twitchin Kitten]

I found this recipe on the internet. It's as close to authentic as I can tell. This recipe serves 6-8 people.

Zuppa di Pesce
Italian Fish Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles separated but kept intact
1/2 lb large shrimp, in shell peeled, leaving tail and first segment of shell intact, and deveined (21 to 25 per lb)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 cup dry white wine
4 1/2 cups water
12 small hard-shelled clams such as littleneck clams, scrubbed (less than 2 inches in diameter)
12 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed (preferably cultivated)
4 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice (32 fl oz)
2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 lb skinless halibut fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry.
If squid are large, halve ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
Pull off flaps from squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings.

Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until golden but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch.
Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano to pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds.

Add wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in clams and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 6 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes.)
Stir in mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened mussels after 6 minutes.)

Add stock to pot along with remaining 4 cups water, tomatoes with juice, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Add halibut to stock and cook at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Stir in squid and reserved shellfish, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in basil and parsley and serve immediately.

Serve this with garlic bread toast - great for dunking in the soup!