CIOPPINO (ITALIAN BOUILLABAISSE) 
1 lg. onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 (1 lb.) cans tomatoes
1 1/2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
2 lg. bay leaves, pierced
2 tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. red wine
5 lobsters, cut in half, or 10 lobster tails
40 clams, in shell
20 mussels, in shell
2 lbs. scallops
4 lbs. lg. shrimp

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, using large Dutch oven with high lid. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, salt, pepper and basil. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 2 hours.

While sauce simmers, scrub mussels thoroughly with stiff brush, wash clams under running water and rinse several times to remove sand. Peel and devein shrimp.

Stir wine into sauce. Add shrimp and lobsters. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Place scallops carefully in sauce. Layer clams and mussels on top of mixture. Cover and steam 10 minutes or until shells are fully opened. Ladle into large deep soup bowls and serve with crusty French bread.

 

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