joyce's cioppino

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, coursely chopped
• 1 can 14 1/2 oz petite diced tomatoes, (italian style)
• 4 cans chicken broth
• 1 jar marinara sauce 28-32 oz.
• 2 cups or bottles clam juice
• 1/2 cup red or white wine, (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon basil, dried
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme, dried
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 - bay leaf
• 1 pound clams, in shell, scrubbed (you can use a 1 lb. pkg of frozen pana pesca hardshell clams)
• 10-12 medium mussels, in shell, scrubbed and debearded (optional)
• 1 1/2 pounds cod fish, cubed into medium/large size chunks (must use a firm fish)
• 3/4 pound sea scallops, cut in half if they are large, depending on size
• 1/2 pound frozen cooked shrimp, tails removed and thawed
• 1 - whole cooked crab or 1 c. lump crab, (meat, legs & claws used in cioppino)