So much seafood, so little time! Enjoy shrimp, halibut, mussels and more in this sensational stew.

Preparation

Trim stalks off the fennel bulb, saving some of the fronds for garnish. Halve fennel bulb, then working from the cut side, slice into ⅛-inch thick slabs (cut from the top to the root so the individual layers will be held together by the root end). Slice 4 slabs from each half of the fennel bulb, then small dice remaining fennel.

Preheat a 6-quart sauce pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then garlic, onion and diced fennel. Sauté until the vegetables start to caramelize. Deglaze with white wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add chopped tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Add cioppino sauce and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add clams to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the clams just start to open. Add the mussels, simmer for 1 minute, then add all remaining seafood. Gently simmer for 3–5 minutes, or until all shellfish have opened and the fish and shrimp are cooked through. Discard any unopened shellfish.

While seafood is cooking, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sear the slabs of fennel. Flip once to caramelize both sides.

Gently mix chopped parsley into stew, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to serving bowls. Top with caramelized fennel, garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve with toasted baguette rubbed with a fresh garlic clove.