Zuppa di Pesce

from Laudisio

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic sliced thin
2 sprigs flat leaf parsley chopped
1 spring thyme (whole)
2 cups clam juice
1 medium tomato seeded and chopped (can use 1 small can tomato juice)
12 black mussels scrubbed and bearded
12 little neck clams scrubbed
4 calamari tubes cut into rings include tentacles
12 shrimp veined
3 anchovy filets
1 cup dry white wine
juice of 1 lemon
salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

In deep heavy non-reactive sauce pan put olive oil, anchovies, garlic and parsley on medium flame. Add all other ingredients, turn flame to high. Adjust salt, pepper to taste. Remember anchovies are salty already…you can put in but you cannot take away.

On TV, we cooked this dish in a wood burning oven at a temperature of 650 degrees for approximately 12 minutes. You can either do this on the stove top, in your oven at 450 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or for the smoky flavor we achieved you can use your barbeque.

The dish is done when the calamari rings turn opaque, and it tastes the way you want. We recommend some crisp French baquette to soak up the sauce.

Don't be afraid to include whatever fresh fish you find at the market.