Seafood Stew

Today is one of those days that makes me really ready for summer! The warmest day of the year (so far), everyone out in their yards, washing cars, mowing lawns, playing ball with the dog… Just the time for stew! Wait… stew? Yes, Seafood Stew.

• 1/4 cup olive oil (sweet)
• 1 1/4 cup chopped onion (sweet and pungent)
• 2 TBS chopped garlic (pungent and sweet)
• 4 tsp dried oregano (bitter and pungent)
• 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (sweet and bitter)
• 2 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes with added puree (sweet and sour)
• 2 1/2 cups bottled clam juice (sweet and salty)
• 1 cup dry white wine (sweet and sour)
• 2 6-oz cans of chopped clams, drained, liquid reserved (sweet and salty)
• 1 pound uncooked, large shrimp, peeled and deveined (sweet)
• 1 6-oz. can crab meat, drained (sweet)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (sweet and bitter)
• Cayenne pepper (pungent)

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, oregano, and fennel seeds and sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, clam juice, white wine and liquid reserved from clams.  Increase heat and boil until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
3. Add clams, shrimp and crab meat.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.  Mix in fresh basil and simmer until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Season to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.