I've been with growing up in a family with exceptional cooks. From classic brunch meals to adventurous stews I've been lucky enough to be official taste tester. Recently, I was able to indulge in my dads take on seafood stew or Cioppino! This hearty mix of crab, white fish, and clams is a delicious holiday meal perfect for feeding a crowd of loved ones.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 1/2 tsp fresh thyme

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes

• 1 dried bay leaf

• 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes with juice, crushed

• 1 1/4 C dry white wine

• 1 1/4 C water

• 1 C bottled clam juice

• 2 pounds shell-on king crab legs (or Dungeness crab legs), cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)

• 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed well

• 1 pound firm, skinless white fish fillets (such as red snapper, sea bass, or halibut), cut into bite-size pieces

• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 1/4 pounds large shrimp (about 30), peeled and deveined, tails left on if desired

• 1/2 C coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thyme, oregano, red-pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Add crushed tomatoes and their juice, white wine, water, and clam juice; bring to a simmer.

Add crab and clams. Simmer, covered, until crab shells turn bright pink and clam shells open, about 10 minutes. Season fish with salt and pepper. Add fish and shrimp to stockpot. Simmer, covered, until fish is opaque and shrimp are pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf and any unopened clams. Remove pot from heat. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Birdie

Recipe found here!