Zuppa Di Pesce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For soup
1 lb cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles separated but kept intact
1/2 lb large shrimp, in shell peeled, leaving tail and first segment of shell intact, and deveined (21 to 25 per lb)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 cup dry white wine
4 1/2 cups water
12 small hard-shelled clams such as littleneck clams, scrubbed (less than 2 inches in diameter)
12 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed (preferably cultivated)
4 cups fish stock (32 fl oz) or 4 cups bottled clam juice (32 fl oz)
2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 lb skinless halibut fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
For garlic toasts
1 (12 inch) Italian bread, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Accompaniment
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Preparation

Make soup: Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry.
If squid are large, halve ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
Pull off flaps from squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings.
Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until golden but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch.
Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano to pot and saute, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds.
Add wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in clams and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 6 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes.)
Stir in mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened mussels after 6 minutes.)
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425\u00b0F
Add stock to pot along with remaining 4 cups water, tomatoes with juice, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
Make toasts while stock simmers: Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then drizzle with oil and season with salt.
Bake, turning over once, until golden, about 10 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool slightly, then rub lightly with cut sides of garlic and sprinkle with parsley.
Finish soup: Add halibut to stock and cook at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Stir in squid and reserved shellfish, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in basil and parsley and serve immediately, with toasts alongside for dipping.