Here's what you need:
Fish
Scallops or squid (calamari, see....)
Mussels or clams
Tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Seafood stock (or make your own, see below).
Celery
Olive oil
Fresh spices: basil, thyme or marjoram
Salt and Pepper
The seafood: I used some Sea Bass, Bay Scallops, and Mussels. The wine is an Orvieto.
If you're using prepared fish stock, move along. If you're making your own stock, here's what you'll need: some fish heads, maybe some shrimp shells, water, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, olive oil, oregano, onion, vinegar, salt and pepper--a glass of nice white wine (subtract this amount from the water) can't hurt. Prepare the tomatoes by slicing an X on the bottom of each one, coring it to remove the base of the stem, and dropping it into boiling water for about 15 seconds. Remove promptly and remove the skin, then slice thinly. Now put the fish heads into a pan with the rest of the ingredients and heat. Add a quart of water. Once the fish heads and the tomatoes are cooked fully, sieve the broth and set aside.
For the soup, prepare two pounds of tomatoes as above. Cover the bottom of a soup pot with olive oil and warm. Add a thinly sliced onion. Once it begins to brown just a bit, add crushed garlic and a thinly sliced stalk of celery, plus the spice --dried or fresh, but fresh is best--I used marjoram, and some black pepper. Stir and let cook for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes. Stir and let this cook for a few minutes then add a glass of white wine -- I used a very nice Orvieto and later served the same wine with the soup. Let all of this cook for a while until the tomatoes are almost pulped. Next, add about a quart of your fish stock.
Not quite ready for the stock.
You're ready now to complete the meal. Add the mussels first. Bring the soup back to a boil, then add the fish and scallops (or calamari....). Reduce the heat to simmer, cover and wait about five minutes. Once all the mussels have opened, you're set. Sprinkle some chopped parsley over the top and serve with bread, salad, and wine. We served with an Orvieto, but a lighter red would have served nicely, too.
Just before the parsley went on.
